Welcome to the Sea of Sand

Book Review:

Welcome to the Sea of Sand is a poetry book about the beauty and serenity of the desert. Author Jane Yolen focuses the reader to see beyond a broad view of the term 'desert,' and invites the reader to look closely at the animals and plants that live in our Southwest lands. Yolen tells about a wide diversity of animals such as the mountain lion, rams, kangaroo rats, tarantulas, and coyotes. She also allows the mind to visualize the desert through phrases such as "wash of blue sky" and "desert surprise landscape after rain." This book's repeated use of words and rhyming make for an interesting and fun approach to learning while reading this book to children.

Illustrator Laura Regan captures the landscape - what one would see if looking at the desert from a far, or if one wanted to look at details. The pictures reach out to make the reader feel part of the scenic desert setting.

About the Book | Book Review | Children's Voices | About the Reviewer