Dream for the Land

Gr 1-4–At dawn, a girl joins her pá and má to tend their beloved farm on land that has been part of their family for generations. The girl notices the different animals and crops that exist in their land, but also the dryness and dying batch of vegetables. Sadness takes over the family as they see the impact of drought on their livelihood and the once fertile and verdant land. When the girl finds a horned toad, her family believes she is filled with luck, and the girl uses the opportunity to wish for rain and dreams for a land like it used to be. The illustrations and endpapers transport readers to the southwestern landscapes of the United States; the author’s note enhances the story by connecting the girl’s dreams with the ongoing struggles of climate change, environmental justice movements, and how natural disasters become human disasters.