The Quarry Fox and Other Critters of the Wild Catskills originally published by The Overlook Press in 2017 was re-published by Golden Notebook Press in 2026, given the popularity of the first edition and the public interest in the beloved stories about the Catskills’ wildlife. For the 2026 edition, the publisher has paired author Leslie T. Sharpe with illustrator Will T. Lytle to incorporate delightful illustrations of each of the critters portrayed in the book. If you look closely, you will notice on the cover illustrations of all the critters written about: crustaceans, butterflies, birds, chipmunks, cats, bears, and, of course, the elusive quarry fox.   

Leslie T. Sharpe is a naturalist and nature writer whose essays and articles have appeared in a variety of publications including The Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, International Herald Tribune, The New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, San Francisco Chronicle, and Psychology Today, among others. She taught writing at Columbia University for over 20 years and has been active in the Catskills literary community for decades. In 2018, her book The Quarry Fox and Other Critters of the Wild Catskills, the “first literary treatment of Catskills wildlife since John Burroughs,” won a Gold Medal Independent Book Publishers Award for excellence. In 2019, Sharpe was named one of “Fifty Stewards of the Catskills” by Catskill Center for Conservation and Development in recognition of her advocacy for protecting and preserving the Catskills eco-system. Sharpe is also the author of Editing Fact and Fiction: A Concise Guide to Book Editing published in 1994 by Cambridge University Press, a useful resource for authors and editors.

Will T. Lytle is a Catskills-based artist and illustrator who created Thorneater Comics. A 2019 “Fifty Stewards of the Catskills” honoree, he is deeply inspired by the Catskills landscape, blending whimsy with darker, expressive themes. Lytle brings a distinctive visual voice to The Quarry Fox.

Published as trade paperback, the 2026 edition of The Quarry Fox remains one of the very few books about the Catskills. Sharpe’s sophisticated prose and Lytle’s adorable illustrations make the book an enjoyable read and a great gift for everyone who loves nature. Sharpe’s astute observations from season to season are paired with rigorous  scientific and historical data about the place and its wildlife.

“Butterflies, of course, ever showy, get most of the kudos. They are first eminently visible, flying by day, flashing their vivid colors, revealing often intricate patterning as they alight on flowers.” – Leslie T. Sharpe, The Quarry Fox and Other Critters of the Wild Catskills  

You can buy the book at independent bookstores in the Catskills such as The Golden Notebook in Woodstock, NY and online retailers such as Barnes and Noble and Bookshop.org.

Sharpe will be reading from her book at the Woodstock Historical Society Saturday, October 11 at noon.