by Emily Taylor
A laugh out-loud guide to California's salamanders and frogs
Following her popular guides California Snakes and How to Find Them and California Lizards and How to Find Them (which was featured among the New York Times’ 2025 best niche field guides), herpetologist Emily Taylor brings readers California Amphibians and How to Find Them. Profiling over 50 native and introduced species, Taylor gives practical guidance for finding, watching, and responsibly catching amphibians, sharing hilarious descriptions of frog and salamander behavior along the way, and exploring the environmental challenges they face.
by Josie Iselin, illustrated by Ellen Litwiller
A vivdly illustrated primer on bull kelp forests sheds light on the critical role of this mysterious seaweed
Iselin and Litwiller reveal the incredible environmental significance of this bulbous tangle of seaswept wrack coughed up on ocean shorelines from Oxnard to Anchorage, that, all too often, we blithely take for granted.
by Krystle Hickman
National Geographic Explorer profiles California's native bees from A to Z in this image-rich guide
“When Krystle Hickman talks bees, I listen. This book is a stunning portrait of the landscape around us, and then Krystle draws us in closer to a macro look at the overlooked, diverse, gorgeous, fascinating bees that deserve our attention and awe. As readers, we are so lucky to experience these creatures’ stories through her eyes and words.” —ALIE WARD, host of the Ologies podcast
by Joanna Clines & Stephen Sharnoff
The ultimate guide to the plants of the Sierra Nevada
This photographic guide to the wildflowers of the Sierra Nevada has been over twenty-five years in the making, drawing together spectacular images by Stephen Sharnoff, the acclaimed photographer of Lichens of North America, and informative text by botanist Joanna Clines, who has decades of field experience and is a top authority on the region’s flowers. Comprehensive and deeply researched, it will help users identify 1,000 flowers found in California’s iconic mountain range, from our celebrated manzanitas and lovely lupines to tiny California popcorn flowers.
Recommended Reads
Turn Over a New Leaf
From wildflowers to redwoods, plants open a window into the hidden world of nature, turning every leaf and stem into a story waiting to be discovered. Grow, nurture, and understand the living ecosystems that surround you with these featured titles celebrating California’s abundant flora. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a curious forager, these botany-themed books will cultivate your blossoming inspiration into full bloom, and are now 20% off with discount code FLORA20.
The Latest in News from Native California
This winter issue includes explorations of the invisibility of non-federally recognized tribes and new and forthcoming Indigenous-authored books, Julian Brave NoiseCat’s breakout debut among them, plus a tribute to Heyday founder and News from Native California co-creator, Malcolm Margolin (1940–2025).
Heyday is an independent publisher founded in 1974, headquartered in California. Over the last five decades, Heyday has dedicated itself to publishing books that delight in the Golden State’s natural splendor, explore its rich cultural history, amplify the voices of its first peoples, and advance social justice throughout the state and beyond. Since 1987, Heyday has also published the quarterly magazine News from Native California—celebrating Indigenous storytelling and culture-keeping. At Heyday, we believe that ideas matter, stories count, diversity of voices is crucial, and the book is still our best repository of knowledge and beauty.
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