Desert Trip [Illustrated] [Hardcover]

Barbara Steiner (Author), Ronald Himler (Illustrator)

Book Description

Rocks that look like castles against the sky, quiet, broken only by the trill of a canyon wren; the cool, clear night alight with millions of stars--all the wonders of the desert canyonlands come vividly alive as a mother and daughter set out on their first backpacking trip together. Evocative watercolor paintings and a lyrical first-person narrative capture the magic of the desert in this unforgettable adventure in discovery.< BR>

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-4?In this gentle picture book, a young girl tells about an overnight hiking trip she and her mother take in the desert canyonland of the Southwest. As they walk, the child describes the rock formations and plants they see, the desert climate, the pleasant places they stop, and the various meals they enjoy. With not a single other human on the trail, mother and daughter are able to experience nature at its best. Himler's watercolor paintings in warm shades of brown, yellow, and gray-green capture the near idyllic flavor of this outing. Use this book in conjunction with Byrd Baylor's I'm in Charge of Celebrations (Scribners, 1986) or Joanne Ryder's Under Your Feet (Four Winds, 1990) to introduce children to outings during which careful attention is paid to the wonders of the natural world.?Barbara Chatton, College of Education, University of Wyoming, Laramie
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 4^-8. A small girl tells how she and her mother go backpacking through the desert canyon lands, camp out under the stars, and return home the next day. Words and pictures show that the two are alone together in an exciting world, where they can see, hear, smell, and touch new things in the space and the quiet. Her mother points out particular flowers, grasses, and rocks; she knows how the native desert people, the Utes, used the wilderness. Himler's watercolors show the wide open spaces, the astonishing rock formations, the wonderful particularity of one flower seen close up. Kids will learn about the desert and envy the adventure. Hazel Rochman

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Sierra Club Books for Children; 1st edition (April 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0871565811
• ISBN-13: 978-0871565815
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 9.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #886,654 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars remarkable in a softspoken way, October 8, 2008

By 

The Delite Rancher (Phoenix, Arizona) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Desert Trip (Hardcover)

"Desert Trip" is a beautiful book. In it, a mother and her daughter go on a backpacking trip. On their journey, the two come across various desert plants like globe mallow and cliff rose. The mom shares some facts with her child about how Indians used plants like Utah Juniper. They come across wildlife like tadpoles and a rabbit. There are subtle but powerful lessons in the book. The mother discourages her daughter from stepping into a desert pool, the two have a decidedly small campfire and they break-up the campfire pit the following morning. While this isn't exactly the wilderness ethic of leave no trace, the mother does teach her daughter to respect, protect and enjoy the environment. Barbara Steiner effectively captured the solitude and peacefulness of the desert. Given the sandstone, eerie formations and arches, the setting can be placed in Utah. That written, the flora and fauna are widespread enough throughout the West that the story could have local meaning in almost any desert community. The idea for a mother/daughter backpacking trip is an unusual and refreshing concept. In addition to the characters, the book has a feminine feel given Ronald Himler's soft illustrations and the omission of the desert's more prickly residents like scorpions, gila monsters and agaves. In light of the diction, syntax and text size, this read will work well with third and fourth graders. When it comes to young people's books, the marketplace is filled with general/introductory books about the desert and specific books about the Sonoran. That written, there aren't too many books out there that celebrate a connection between young people, the desert and backpacking. Hats off to the Sierra Club for publishing the gently remarkable "Desert Trip."