Here Is the Southwestern Desert
Madeleine Dunphy
Illustrated by Anne Coe
Ages 5-8. Dunphy's cumulative poem explores the interrelationships between the living and nonliving elements of the Sonoran Desert. Coming full circle, she begins and ends with the cactus: "Here is the cactus / that is covered with spines / and can live without rain / for a very long time." She also cites the hare, the snake, the coyote, the squirrel, the badger, the bobcat, the roadrunner, the lizard, and the hawk--all of which are interconnected with the sun, the tree, and the cactus. Coe's luminous artwork includes both panoramic backgrounds and vibrant action close-ups that will appeal to young and old alike. Although the repetition in the verses makes this a good choice for story hours, the appended information on Sonoran wildlife lends itself to primary units on the desert or the Southwest.
101 Questions About Desert Life
Alice Jablonsky
This book answers questions young people ages 8-12 commonly ask about the distinctive plants and animals of the American Southwest deserts. Features illustrations by Brian Wignall and photos by top Southwest nature photographers.
Hoomothya's Long Journey 1865 -
1897
The true story of a Yavapai Indian
Elaine Waterstrat
From the first page Hoomothya's Long Journey quickly takes the romanticism of John Wayne western movies to gritty realism. The narrative and finite detail give the reader a realistic glimpse of the tremendous hardships and dangers endured by all people in the West during this period in recent history.
Treasure Mountain
Nellie Shell
Within the mysterious depths of Superstition Mountain lies the Lost Dutchman Gold Mine. For over one hundred years it has drawn gold seekers from all over the world, but no one has ever found it.
When their Uncle Bob takes Chip and Tim on a "Dutchman Hunt," the brothers find the mountain is full of surprises and dangers beyond their wildest imaginations.
They also learn that gold is not the most important thing in life.
Baby Rattlesnake A Native American Tale
Told By Te Ata
Adapted by Lynn Moroney
Illustrated by Mira Reisberg
Kirkus: "This satisfying tale is attractively illustrated in sophisticated desert colors, the bold designs framed in imaginative borders and incorporating Native American motifs. A good addition to the shelf!"
Publishers Weekly: "A winning retelling of a Native American tale... Reisberg's vivid, fanciful illustrations perfectly depict the Southwestern setting, her many comical touches include a derby-sporting father rattlesnake. Even very small children will understand and profit from this deceptively simple story's valuable lesson."
The New York Times: "Te Ata in her beautiful and rightful Indian robes illustrates the old customs and legends of her people."
Te Ata - whose name means "Bearer of the Morning" - is a 92 year-old Native American storyteller who was proclaimed the state of Oklahoma's first Oklahoma State Treasure. She was a frequent guest artist at the White House during the Roosevelt years, and Eleanor Roosevelt named a lake in New York State for her. She performed before many notables including King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
The
Little Red Ant and the Great Big Crumb
A Mexican Fable
Retold by Shirley Climo
Illustrated by Francisco X. Mora
"A satisfying Mexican version of the rock-scissors-paper fable, accompanied by simple but expressive pictures .... Mora's watercolor pictures zoom down to the insect's level, eliminating most details and leaving only the subtle shading of animals' bodies, leaves, and corn stalks. The Spanish words sprinkled throughout can usually be understood in context, but a glossary is appended just in case." - School Library Journal
Ten
Little Rabbits
Virginia Grossman & Silvia Long
Weaving, fishing, and storytelling are all part of this spirited book that celebrates Native American traditions as it teaches young children to count from one to ten.
"There is a great deal
of information and entertainment packed into this unusual counting book..."
-Publishers Weekly
"A respectful yet whimsical celebration of various Native American traditions." - Redbook
"A singularly handsome counting book that celebrates Native American culture." - Smithsonian
Cactus
Hotel
Brenda Z. Guiberson
Illustrated by Megan Lloyd
Parents' Choice Award
IRA-CBC Teachers' Choice
An NSTA-CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book
An NCTE Notable Trade Book in the Language Arts
It is another hot day in the desert. Birds and other animals scurry about looking for food. When they get tired, they stop to rest at a giant cactus. It is their hotel in the desert!
"Guiberson weaves an amazingly large range of facts into this simple story of a fragile ecosystem." -Publishers Weekly
Myths
& Legends of the Indians of the Southwest
By Bertha Dutton & Caroline Olin
Navajo, Pima, Apache
