Mary Brooke Casad

In this book in the Bluebonnet Series, our favorite armadillo explores the Ocean Star Museum in Galveston, Texas. On the boardwalk at the Galveston harbor, Bluebonnet meets Red, the knowledgeable brown pelican, who persuades her to follow a class on their tour of the museum. Bluebonnet secretly follows the group and learns about the offshore oil system, life on a drilling rig, and offshore oil history. Along her journey, Bluebonnet discovers that the museum itself is an old offshore rig, where people lived and drilled beneath the sea for oil. She learns that since its opening as a museum in 1997, the rig has taught kids about products made from petroleum and abandoned platforms that have become reefs. As the museum tour comes to an end, Bluebonnet hops aboard a departing shrimp boat with Red to see some offshore drilling rigs in action. After all, she is always ready for a new adventure

Bluebonnet, the traveling Texas armadillo, shows children the fun of exploring new places as she tours the Marshall Train Depot and learns about its history. When Bluebonnet arrives in Marshall, she bypasses the beautiful "Wonderland of Lights" festival in search of something more interesting to her-the historic Marshall Train Depot. Once there, she meets a friendly local cat, T. P., who explains that he is named for the Texas & Pacific Railroad. T. P. and Bluebonnet tour the depot and learn about its history while developing a charming friendship. At the end of the tour, the two friends boldly leap onto a train and head off together for their first train ride.

After singing the Texas state song, Bluebonnet admires the Goddess of Liberty statue on top of the state capitol dome. Filled with pride, she wishes that she could climb to the top to see the statue up close. To her amazement, someone tells Bluebonnet that he has been to the top, more than three hundred feet above the ground The voice that seems to come from nowhere belongs to Mac, a mockingbird, who happens to be the state bird of Texas. Mac offers to give Bluebonnet a tour of the Texas state capitol building. While inside, they discover that a group of schoolchildren are meeting with the governor to decide on the state mammal. Some children want the state mammal to be the armadillo, while others want it to be the Longhorn. Which one will it be? Once again outside, the pair meet Bevo, a Longhorn interested in the outcome of the children's decision. Bevo is a friend of Mac's, and Bluebonnet makes another new friend. That, after all, is more important than what the state mammal of Texas will be. Isn't it?

In this installment of the Bluebonnet Series, everyone's favorite curious armadillo learns about the Battle of the Alamo and the Alamo Museum. When Bluebonnet comes to San Antonio, the first thing she wants to do is see the Alamo. While rummaging for a nice, big beetle to eat for dinner, she meets Digger Diller, who is old enough to be her grand-diller. He tells Bluebonnet the tale of his great-great-grand-diller's involvement in the Battle of the Alamo. Bluebonnet is fascinated by the enthralling story of Santa Anna, Jim Bowie, and William Barret Travis. But Digger Diller has a surprise for Bluebonnet. After the battle was over, Great-Great-Grand-Diller found Jim Bowie's famous knife. The knife was passed down, diller to diller, until it came to Digger Diller. Bluebonnet is excited to think about how much it would mean to all Texans to have Jim Bowie's knife on display at the Alamo Museum But Digger Diller isn't so sure; the knife is his family treasure, and Great-Great-Grand-Diller probably wouldn't approve of him giving it away. Digger Diller agrees to donate the knife, but after Bluebonnet's plan goes awry and the knife is nearly lost, Digger Diller begins to regret his decision. After this adventure with her new friend, Bluebonnet will always "Remember the Alamo "

Bluebonnet, dubbed "everyone's favorite armadillo" by Texas Highways magazine, is off to visit Mount Vernon, Texas, in this tenth book of the Bluebonnet Armadillo Adventure series. When she arrives on the Daphne Prairie, she meets Dandy Don, a short-eared owl named for Mount Vernon's favorite native son, the late Don Meredith. The two nocturnal creatures take a night-time tour of historical sites, including pre-World War I homes, the Fire Station Museum, featuring the Don Meredith collection and the Nations Family Bird Egg Collection; the Cotton Belt Depot, The Bankhead Highway Trails and Visitor Center, Dupree Park Nature Preserve, Franklin County Courthouse, raised town plaza, and Majors-Parchman house. All along the tour, sounds and shadows suggest that someone has secretly joined the tour. Who is this mysterious follower? Readers will delight in searching for clues. The picture book provides an entertaining and informative story for young readers, with additional information about each historical site provided for older readers.