I loved this book! I really like how it’s done to the tune of Over in the Meadow and has the music for it in the back of the book so that you can read or sing it. I also thought the artwork was very unique and fun with the paper collage style and looking at the illustrator notes about how she made sure to include the number of animals for that page, the time of day it’s supposed to be for those animals to be active, the specific animal behavior mentioned for that animal, etc. There’s even lots of cool info at the end about each of the animals in the book and the deserts they live in. I also liked the inclusion of specific plants from these different desserts that the animals depend on.

The list of possible activities to go along with the story at the back could be very helpful for classrooms or libraries or even at home! I actually learned a few things from this one, including that most of Antartica is actually considered a polar desert! I would never have guessed and didn’t know that some deserts are actually cold and that it has more to do with the amount of rainfall the habitat receives. I also didn’t know that camels have special padded joints that make it where they can kneel on hot sand and that Fennec Foxes and can survive without any water source because they are able to get enough through what they eat! It’s so cool to learn how different animals and plants are adapted to their special environments like this. ( )

OVER ON A DESERT: SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD by Marianne Berkes is a picture book exploration of the driest places on Earth and the animals who live there.

A short description, map, and illustration are provided for each of the ten featured deserts. Each scene shows creatures in their native habitats and are depicted using high-quality collage techniques. In addition to introducing the deserts, the book can also be used as a counting and number book with younger children. The very short narratives will appeal to young readers. The book concludes with additional background information, activity ideas, and even a song.

Librarians will find this book to be a useful read-aloud book for a desert themed unit. Young children and primary-aged youth alike will enjoy both the short narratives and the predictable counting theme. Use this book to kickstart a unit on desert habitats.

Published by Dawn Publications on September 1, 2018. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )