Desert Digits: An Arizona Number Book (Count Your Way Across the U.S.A.) [Hardcover]

Barbara Gowan (Author), Irving Toddy (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Count Your Way Across the U.S.A.

Scorpions and Gila monsters, jackrabbits and coyotes, bats, butterflies and 14 varieties of hummingbirds are just a few examples of the diverse wildlife population of Arizona. While 25 percent of Arizona is blanketed by lush forests, it is also the only state where four deserts are found. Its varied terrain includes vast plateaus, deep caves and caverns, steep canyons and lofty mountains - even volcanoes. "Desert Digits" guides children through the wonders of Arizona, where they can pan for gold, shoot the rapids on the Colorado River and camp in the Grand Canyon. They will also learn about Native American art and traditions, how to avoid a scorpion sting, how tall cacti grow, and the right way to make and eat a tortilla.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press (August 29, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585361623
• ISBN-13: 978-1585361625
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #507,057 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Barbara Gowan began sharing her love of nature with children as a park naturalist in the Cleveland Metroparks System soon after she graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a B.S. in biology. The opportunity to write the children's books, G is for Grand Canyon and Desert Digits, allowed her to blend her natural history knowledge and creativity into colorful, rhyming journeys through Arizona. L is for Leprechaun-an ABC Book of Notre Dame was published by Barbara's company, Learning With Little Folks. Each letter represents a significant person or place at Notre Dame and includes a "campus stop" family tour. Jane Pitz, Barbara's freshman year rector, illustrated the book using digitized photographs. Forthcoming from Sleeping Bear Press is S is for Sahara-a Desert Alphabet book. Barbara is available for school author visits, writing workshops, family literacy nights and professional development seminars for educators. She is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a board member of the Arizona Reading Association.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars This book is #1, April 23, 2011

By 

Teacher's Pet - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desert Digits: An Arizona Number Book (Count Your Way Across the U.S.A.) (Hardcover)

My students really like this book. It's both fun and informative. We live in Arizona, so it's easy for us to relate, but I think students from other regions could really enjoy this book. There is so much to learn and the information is very well presented.

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful and Fun for Kids, December 27, 2010

By 

Patricia Leppla (Tucosn, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Desert Digits: An Arizona Number Book (Count Your Way Across the U.S.A.) (Hardcover)

This picture book goes through the number system, from 1 to 15, and then it jumps up to 20 and continues in increments of 10 until 100. Each number is then corresponded with an element that represents the state of Arizona in some way. For example, for number 70: "Beads of shell, discs of silver, and chunks of turquoise are created into 70 pieces of jewelry worn by Indian girls and boys". Also, with each number, the main thing that is being counted is then given a little description on the side. For example, the hummingbird is counted for the number 6 and then a brief description about the hummingbird's speed, what it eats, and the best place to see hummingbirds, is given.

This book does a pretty good job of being an instructional tool to learn how to count while making the process a little easier for children (and their parents) by connecting the numbers with real life animals and objects. This picture book would be perfect in a school setting. It could be used in the lower grades in programs that focus on learning how to count and/or elements of Arizona. This could also be used in a public library setting for a program that focuses on the west, Arizona, desert, etc.

Outside the obvious benefits of this picture book, the illustrations are very beautiful as well and do a great job of capturing what Arizona and the desert look like.

5.0 out of 5 stars Count Your Way Across Arizona., August 20, 2009

By 

wanderer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Desert Digits: An Arizona Number Book (Count Your Way Across the U.S.A.) (Hardcover)

Barbara Gowan has done it again! Another wonderful book that teaches young readers about the Arizona desert... this time adding numbers to the mix. And the multi-layered content is perfect for the classroom! FYI, I understand Ms. Gowan has a new ABC book coming (again with Sleeping Bear Press) that reveals facts about deserts around the globe. Can't wait!