In the 1930s, the parents of six-year-old Leila sent her from their home in California to live with relatives in New Mexico, hoping the drier climate would restore her health. Reluctant to leave her family, she soon realized she had embarked on a grand adventure. She spent the next three years living with her aunt Julie and her uncle, whom she called ''Granddaddy.''
The rest of the world knew Granddaddy as Ernest Thompson Seton, noted author, artist, environmentalist, and co-founder of the Boy Scouts of America. Throughout the years Leila lived with him, he taught her about the wildlife in the area, took her on exciting trips, and shared both his reverence for all living things and his profound respect for Native American cultures. Granddaddy was also a masterful storyteller, and excerpts of his stories--which remain as fresh and enchanting as ever more than 100 years after their publication--are adroitly woven into the memoir. This chapter book will appeal to children and adults alike.