Here Is the Southwestern Desert (Web of Life) [Paperback]

Madeleine Dunphy (Author), Anne Coe (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 7, 2006 | Age Level: 3 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Web of Life

Despite its stark landscape and harsh climate, the Sonoran Desert teems with life. Hare, hawks, lizards, bobcats, badgers, coyote — all live among the desert’s fragrant mesquite and spiny cactus, and none can exist without the others. Madeleine Dunphy’s poetic text explores all the warm and native elements that make the American Southwest such a mystical place, while Anne Coe's stunning paintings portray the desert’s plants and animals as well as the dazzling colors reflected in the rocks and skies of the Sonoran Desert.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2-Information on the Sonoran desert is presented in a cumulative fashion a la The House That Jack Built, e.g., "Here is the lizard/who is spied by the hawk/that perches on the cactus/that is covered with spines..." The narrative mentions and depicts eight animals and three plants; an end note shows these and other creatures in pen-and-ink drawings with a brief discussion of them and their environment. The book is beautifully designed. On each double-page spread, text appears in a narrow section on the left against a glowing earth-pink background; remaining space is filled with an acrylic painting saturated with dazzling desert light. Each spread is marked with solid borders, as though matted. Coe's dry-brush technique reveals the texture of the canvas in ways that make it look like grainy sand. One cavil: the obviously different prickly pear and saguaro are called by the same generic name-cactus.
Ruth Semrau, formerly at Lovejoy School, Allen, TX
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

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. Pair with Gail Hartman's As the Road Runner Runs (1994) and Gisela Jernigan's Sonoran Seasons: A Year in the Desert (1994). Kay Weisman --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Web of Life Children's Books (November 7, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0977379566
• ISBN-13: 978-0977379569
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 9.9 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #698,410 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Madeleine Dunphy is an educational consultant who specializes in writing and teaching about endangered animals and environments. Madeleine has written eight books for children, including The Peregrine's Journey: A Story of Migration, illustrated by Kristin Kest and Here Is the Coral Reef, illustrated by Tom Leonard. Madeleine lives in Oakland, California with her husband, Chris, and their daughter, Gwendolyn. For more information about Madeleine and her books, visit her website at www.mdunphy.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Marvelous book for a child, January 1, 2000

By 

Mark Nykanen (Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Here is the Southwestern Desert (Library Binding)

I just loved Here is the Southwestern Desert, but what's more important is that my twenty-one month old daughter can't get enough of it. We read it to her at least once a day, because if we don't she protests quite audibly. The story is simple and insightful, and the art is just amazing. There are so many things that she picks out of each painting. She loves the animals and flowers. All the desert flora and fauna in the book are represented in a way that she can truly enjoy.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great addition to Kendall-Hunt's Pathways Theme book "Cactus Hotel", October 24, 2009

By 

Carol Spaulding Serna (Santa Rosa, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Here Is the Southwestern Desert (Web of Life) (Paperback)

Cactus Hotel

"Here is the Southwestern Desert" is a great read-aloud to go with any theme unit on the Sonoran Desert. I liked it because it was a nice contrast with the straight reporting text of the Pathways main theme book "Cactus Hotel". "Here is the Southwestern Desert" is so poetic, yet it delivers realistic art and nonfiction facts on the sonoran desert habitat. My class LOVED the book!