In the Desert

Gr 2-5–Prolific author Elliott has written eight books of short poems focused on animals dwelling in biomes around the world. This time, he focuses on a harsh setting, the Sahara Desert, where he reveals an array of life. The first poem, “The Sahara,” describes a place where the sun “blinds the sky/ and scrapes the land/ clean like a butcher/ with his favorite knife.” Giant sand dunes dominate the illustration on the spread, though a trail of tiny footsteps leads to three rabbits half-hidden near a set of bleached white bones. Gouache and acrylic illustrations in subtle earth tones highlight how animals blend into this desolate landscape. Text and illustrations capture the menace of predators including the desert horned viper, deathstalker scorpion, Saharan cheetah, and prey. Outlined against a brilliant starry sky, the small fennec fox with oversized ears stands “listening, listening.” Elliott finds whimsy in the barking, grunting Anubis baboons and the Nile crocodile’s toothy grin. Back matter adds helpful facts, such as that the dung beetle uses the Milky Way to navigate the desert: “Like GPS, but way cooler.”