HIDDEN SPIRITS

Dramatic scratchboard paintings by a wildlife artist celebrate animals and landscapes of the western and southwestern US and invite viewers to hunt for elusive images that act as ""reminders of the uniqueness and beauty of Native American culture."" Each spread opens with a description of what is happening in the double-page spread (e.g., a grizzly is swimming) and what (or who) else can be spotted in the painting (two people are among the boulders around the bathing pool). Not everyone will find the hidden pictures with ease, but a key appears in the back, along with a welcome illustrated discussion of how scratchboard prints are made. Larson lovingly and romantically renders scenes of wild horses, wolves, wildcats, red sands, and snow-covered rocks, created in a palette of ochre, burnt sienna, black, and white. Subtleties in shading and color choice enhance the optical illusions in the prints, which are so alluring that some readers will skip the text entirely.