Deserts

Children's Literature - Rachel Hill

Deserts is packed with information about the dry areas of land we call deserts. Throughout North America and the world, there are many different deserts. These are categorized into different chapters throughout the book in order to highlight the unique qualities of each and the specializations that occur ecologically as a result. Each chapter includes facts about the desert, including its location, flora and fauna, indigenous peoples, and history. Captioned diagrams and boxed sections with additional information are included. Myths and folklore local to the region are also mentioned. This book also contains masses of information as well as many advanced ideas, such as explanations of xerophyte adaptations of the flora and fauna for deserts and acquisition of regional history through DNA analyses of archaeology. A glossary and index are provided, adding to the book's usefulness. Deserts, as well as other books within the "The Extreme Earth" series, will be valuable as a resource for middle school and high school reports and projects. Due to the large amount of advanced material and information, this book will be most useful for young adult readers, and it will be a useful addition to middle school and high school libraries. Reviewer: Rachel Hill