Using cumulative verse, this picture book introduces children to the cacti, jackrabbits, peccaries, roadrunners, coyotes, lizards, and bobcats of the desert, while giving young readers an understanding of the interdependency of life in this ecologically diverse environment.Despite its stark landscape and harsh climate, the Sonoran Desert teems with life. Animals of all kinds 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. This book is a must have for any young naturalist hoping to learn about the interconnectedness of life.

Illustrated by: Anne Coe