By participating in a fun event at the Poudre River Public Library in Fort Collins, Colorado yesterday, I uncovered the name of another extraordinary and multi-published Colorado author, Will Hobbs. Mr. Hobbs was scheduled to speak after Writers Block (more about the story on the sidewalk tomorrow). Although I wasn’t able to attend the Hobbs presentation, I looked up his website and was thrilled with this great find for my Colorado author Monday post.

Author of seventeen books for elementary, middle grade, and YA readers, Hobbs has won multiple awards. His books (and stunning bookcovers) are described in detail on his website. I’ve selected three examples with short quotes from the site to give you an idea of story content:

GO BIG OR GO HOME

“Brady Steele watches in awe as a fireball comes crashing through the roof of his house. Brady immediately calls up his cousin, Quinn. They both love all things extreme, and this is the most extreme thing ever!

Fred, as Brady names his space rock, turns out to be one of the rarest meteorites ever found. Professor Rip Ripley from the museum in Hill City wants to study a sliver of it in search of extraterrestrial bacteria. He’s hoping to discover the first proof of life beyond Earth, a momentous breakthrough for the new science of astrobiology.”

CROSSING THE WIRE

“When falling crop prices threaten his family with starvation, fifteen-year-old Victor Flores heads north in an attempt to “cross the wire” from Mexico into the United States so he can find work and send money home. But with no coyote money to pay the smugglers who sneak illegal workers across the border, Victor must struggle to survive as he jumps trains, stows away on trucks, and hikes grueling miles through the Arizona desert.”

KOKOPELLI’S FLUTE

“The magic had always been there. 13-year-old Tepary Jones could feel it. Fascinated by Picture House, the ancient cliff dwelling near his parents’ Seed Farm, he knew this would be the perfect place to view his first total eclipse of the moon. Waiting for the eclipse to begin, Tep admired the mysterious pictures chipped into the cliff walls by the Ancient Ones. His favorites were two of Kokopelli, the legendary humpbacked flute player. Suddenly Tep’s dog Dusty heard noises—robbers with shovels were digging in the red sandstone, destroying the ancient ruins and stealing the priceless treasures! In their haste the vandals left behind a small, polished bone flute. Something told Tep he shouldn’t put the flute to his lips, but he did. . . .”

With the holidays threatening to be here before we know it, books for young folks may be of special interest for anyone who’ll need gift ideas. Award-winning author Will Hobbs might be the right place to start.