**
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.