A Desert Scrapbook

Book Review:

Virginia Wright-Fierson, the author, uses a refreshing approach to describe the Sonoran Desert from dawn to dusk. She packs her painting gear and proceeds to sketch her close personal observations of the Sonoran Desert from the desert floor to the open sky. The author captures each animal and desert vegetation with movement and life. She describes the progression of her day as she continues to sketch. "The sun is getting higher and the day is getting hotter." Below the narrative are examples of desert animals with a brief description of their habitats. The animals illustrated include: desert tortoise, vulture, jackrabbit, elf owl, diamondback, kangaroo rat, and javelina to name a few. The author illustrates herself throughout the day from dawn to dusk sitting quietly amongst the desert animals and plants sketching her observations. Midpoint through the book, she rests and reflects on her collection of seed and pods gathered in the desert. Each seed and pod is illustrated and labeled.

The author proceeds into the day noticing the air becoming heavy. She anticipates the first rain of the season. She illustrates and describes an arroyo before and after a rainfall. The desert sunset is captured with use of glorious warm light and fiery colors. She listens to the coyotes and howls and nocturnal animals creeping out of their tunnels and burrows. Back at the studio, she spreads out her sketches of the Sonoran Desert plants and animals along with seeds, spines, and feathers collected to create a scrapbook that creates a feeling of the desert from dawn to dusk. The author captures the desert hues with the use of watercolors. The illustrations are colorful, detailed, and enhance her journey from dawn to dusk. This is an excellent book to enhance children's knowledge of the Sonoran Desert.

 

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