About the Book: As day breaks in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, a wounded mountain lion limps toward a Papago Indian hut. The lion fears people, but today he is desperately hungry. And he has caught the scent of Birdwing and her mother. Then a loud thunderclap warns Birdwing, the mountain lion, and all the creatures of the desert that danger is near. A flood will soon wash over the land – and some will not survive it.
My Two Cents: This is a very short book that still packs plenty of information about the wildlife and habitat of the desert. There’s enough of a storyline mixed in with interesting animal, plant, and geological information that kids will zip right through this book. The best part is how much they’ll learn in the process. This is just one title in a five-book series by Newbery-winner George.
Grade Level: 2-5
Additional Resources:
- Take a look at the official Jean Craighead George website.
- Visit the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum–a great place to visit in person that also has fun online resources for kids, including fact sheets on tons of desert plants and animals.
- Check out this great article from National Geographic about life in the Sonoran Desert.
- Learn more about the four deserts of North America at this site or get an overview of deserts here.
- Even if you don’t live in the desert, it’s important to conserve water! Learn how and why we should save water and play a fun water-saving game at the WaterSense website.
More to Read:
- The other books in George’s habitat series: One Day in the Alpine Tundra, One Day in the Prairie, One Day in the Woods, One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest
- Another desert adventure story: Missing on Superstition Mountain by Elise Broach
- Another desert survival story (for a slightly older audience): Holes by Louis Sachar
- Another quick read featuring animals in an unforgiving climate: Akimbo and the Lions (and all the other books in the Akimbo series) by Alexander McCall Smith