Jennifer Benito-Kowalski

My First Day as a Junior Park Ranger Jennifer Benito-Kowalski

It's Junior Park Ranger Kyler's first day on the job. He's a prairie dog who has spent his whole life in Prairie Dog Town, and now he's in a new place where he doesn't know anyone. Will he make friends? Will he do a good job as a Junior Park Ranger?

Join Kyler as he gets to know his new home and the other rangers who look after the park. You'll meet Lyla the owl, a Junior Wildlife Biologist; Jaden the wolf, a Junior Ecologist; Madison the sea lion, a Junior Interpreter; Gianna the vaquita, a Junior Lifeguard; and Tanaya the desert tortoise, an archaeologist.

The first in the Junior Park Ranger Adventure Series introduces the various jobs that local, state and national park employees have. Kids will learn what each of these important rangers do to care for the ecosystem and the visitors to the parks.

Giving Back: A dollar from each book sold will be donated to a nonprofit that protects and stewards one of the featured parks in our adventures.

What Park Rangers are saying?

"As I read My first day as a Junior Park Ranger, I literally felt like I was living that this past two weeks, as the new park employee!! It tells the whole story of a first day at the park. It also really shows the diversity of the "rangers" a park has working at it. The book is absolutely engaging and I already want to a few copies for my nieces and nephews as well my friends' kids. Now, are you able to sell that wholesale? The parks I work at have gift shops. And this book would fill a huge need for younger readers and families" --- Derrick, Assistant Park Manager, Flathead Lake State Park, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Region 1

"It is a unique and intriguing take on junior rangers. Definitely a different perspective than classic junior ranger stories. Kids will be engaged in the story and enjoy that the main character that they are supposed to identify with is earning his confidence in a new park environment and making friends. I like the light JEDI messaging too." --- Cara, Interpretive Program Manager, California State Parks

"With delightfully colorful illustrations, My First Day as a Junior Ranger introduces a variety of park jobs, as Kyler (a prairie dog), in his new uniform and ranger hat, meets up with the park's wildlife biologist (owl), ecologist (wolf), interpreter (sea lion), lifeguard (vaquita) and archaeologist (tortoise). --- Dave, President, California State Park Rangers Association