Charley Harper's What's in the Desert?: A Nature Discovery Book

PreS-Gr 1—A whimsical albeit inconsistent rhyming journey into the environment of the U.S. desert that introduces a variety of local animals and plants. This newest installment in the series provides a general look at 36 types of desert life. Some will strike young ones as familiar—a bumblebee, sparrows, and dove, to name a few. Unfortunately, the layout occasionally hinders comprehension: an antelope jackrabbit's back half is obscured entirely by a tall cactus, and the appearance of the gila monster is limited to its tail. The text flows nicely thanks to the playful tone, though it takes a more narrative than informative route: "Something hops by like a wee kangaroo. It's a Kangaroo Rat, and it just missed my shoe!" The minimalistic illustrations will likely only appeal to those already familiar with desert life. Best suited for one-on-one reading, the book's lack of interesting tidbits and the overly busy imagery may spark more questions than answers. A pronunciation key is provided for the more challenging terms, as well as an answer key coding each species with a number and name. A foldout flap replicates Charley Parker's full painting from which each page is derived.