Hi Kid Lit Friends,
A few years ago, we spent spring break in Arizona visiting my college roommate and her husband. We traveled all over Sedona, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, and Phoenix. It was the first time I had spent time traveling through a desert, and I loved the red mountains and beautiful landscape. I thought I would share some gorgeous children’s books about the desert!
Grand Canyon by Jason Chin
Okay, let’s first acknowledge the genius that is Jason Chin. He is the most recent Newbery Medalist for his work in Watercress (written by Andrea Wang). Watercress was one of my absolute favorite picture books published in 2021. In Grand Canyon, Jason writes an incredible picture book with an engaging story, intriguing facts, and incredible illustrations. I mean, check out that gorgeous cover!
¡Vamos! Let’s Go To The Market! by Raul the Third
I love Raul the Third’s illustrations. I love examining every inch of his drawings of a border town. This book is bilingual in a new way, teaching readers simple words in Spanish as they experience the bustling life of Little Lobo and his dog Bernabe as they deliver supplies to a variety of vendors, selling everything from sweets to sombreros, portraits to piñatas, carved masks to comic books!
Over and Under the Canyon by Kate Messner, illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
I adore Kate Messner’s Over and Under picture book series. (I always think about her first one, Over and Under the Snow, whenever I take a walk in the winter.) This beautiful book examines life in the canyon which takes young readers on a thrilling tour of a desert canyon ecosystem.
The Canyon’s Edge by Dusti Bowling
Dusti’s love for the desert is apparent in all of her middle grade books, but I especially love this survival story of a girl and her father who escape to the canyon to find some peace after an unspeakable tragedy. But when her father is swept away by a flash flood, Nora faces dehydration, venomous scorpions, and deadly snakes. Can she survive the desert and find her dad?
What are you reading these days? Let me know! Find me on Twitter at @KarinaYanGlaser, on Instagram at @KarinaIsReadingAndWriting, or email me at KarinaBookRiot@gmail.com.
Until next time,
Karina
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