Amanda (R.) Lumry Biography

Female.

Addresses

Office—c/o Eaglemont Press, 1309 114th Avenue SE, Suite 200, Bellevue, WA 98004.

Career

Photographer, writer, and publisher.

Writings

"ADVENTURES OF RILEY" SERIES

(With Laura Hurwitz) Tigers in Terai, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre, Eaglemont Press (Bellevue, WA), 2003.

(With Laura Hurwitz) Safari in South Africa, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre, Eaglemont Press (Bellevue, WA), 2003.

(With Laura Hurwitz) Amazon River Rescue, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre, Eaglemont Press (Bellevue, WA), 2004.

(With Laura Hurwitz) Dolphins in Danger, illustrated by Sarah McIntyre, Eaglemont Press (Bellevue, WA), 2005.

OTHER

(And photographer with Jamie Thom) MalaMala: Pathway to an African Eden, Vista Press Ventures, LLC, 1999.

(Photographer with Loren Wengerd) Cayman: A Photographic Journey through the Islands, text by Laura Hurwitz, Vista Press Ventures 2000.

(Photographer with Loren Wengerd) Laura Hurwitz, Holmespun: An Intimate Portrait of An Amish and Mennonite Community, Eaglemont Press (Bellevue, WA), 2002.

Sidelights

Together with colleague Laura Hurwitz, writer and photographer Amanda Lumry has created the "Adventures of Riley" book series, about a nine-year-old world traveler and photographer who finds himself in the midst of adventure wherever he goes. Produced with the assistance of wildlife experts from the Smithsonian, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the World Wildlife Fund, the series' titles include Tigers in Terai, Safari in South Africa, and Amazon River Rescue. The books are published by Eaglemont Press, a Washington-based publishing company cofounded by Lumry that specializes in books that focus on nature and the environment. Other books by Lumry draw on her talent as a photographer, including Homespun: An Intimate Portrait of an Amish and Mennonite Community and Cayman: A Photographic Journey through the Islands, the last which features over 200 photographs by Lumry and Wengerd that bring to life the three-island group that is a favorite of tourists.

Amazon River Rescue finds our young hero traveling to the Amazon rain forest in order to visit his extended family. In the book, geared like the rest of the series for readers aged four to eight, Uncle Max is making a study of kapok trees, while Riley's Aunt Martha and cousin Alice help by gathering samples of the vegetation. Out gathering specimens, Alice and Riley become lost; while finding their way home the two children encounter several different animals and then witness, first-hand, a group of men clear-cutting in the rain forest. While noting that "the amount of factual information included is minimal," School Library Journal reviewer Kathy Piehl added that "readers will enjoy the action, and Riley's adventures will probably stimulate interest" in the debate over the rainforest environment. Praising the series as a whole, Bookloons.com contributor Hilary Williamson commented that the "Adventures of Riley" books make up "an exciting new series for families interested in learning together about wildlife and conservation issues around the world." Williamson further praised the books' "engaging combination of photos, fact, and fiction."