Very cool book and a must-see for kids, in my opinion. We follow a natural scientist as she sketches all of the things she observes in the Sonoran Desert. This book really captures all of the life and movement of a place that can seem empty and still. We see marvelous illustrations of both wildlife and plant life inside this particular desert biome. As she is still among the rocks, she sketches what the animals she comes across are doing as well as all of the colors, textures, and patterns she observes. We see a mixed medium of sketches, photos, and collected samples such as feathers and small rocks and seeds. We also see descriptions of all the different kinds of cacti and flowers she comes across. On one page, we see drawn samples of about 40 different patterns she observed in the desert, from a tortoise shell to a coss section of a saguaro cactus. All of the beautifully detailed drawings and descriptions capture such rich immersion of the desert.

This could be a great project for an art class to have kids go out with a paper and pencil and draw what they see around them in their natural habitat and to collect small samples. This is really a very cool inside look at the relationship between natural science and art and a fantastic model for anyone interested in a career in this field. ( )

This beautiful book about life in the Sonora Desert in Arizona is written and illustrated in watercolor by Virginia Wright-Frierson, who grew up in this part of the country. For any science class discussing the desert ecosystem or the survival of animals and plants in the desert, this is definitely a great read. The first thing the author does is address the misconception that the desert is simply dry, dusty, hot, and barren. The desert is full of life and vegetation if one has the patience to wait 'for the reveal.'
The author is kind enough to include phonetic spellings adjacent to some new (occasionally difficult) names of animals and vegetation, like ocotillo (ah-ko-TEE-oh) and cholla (CHOY-uh).
I had to laugh when she said she was sketching out in the desert and had to wave her arms to show the vulture circling overhead that she was still alive and it would not be eating her for lunch!
It is a beautiful book about a day in the life of the desert and the author includes a nice variety of plants, animals, landscape, weather, and helpful hints. ( )

Genre: Informational
Review: "A Desert Scrapbook" is an informational book that describes a day in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. It is written as more of a story describing the day and what the author was doing (as the book is based on a real day she spent in the desert), but it provides information about the different temperatures, plants, animals and when they appear, and storms. There are many pages of illustrations with labels. The illustrations provide a lot of support in this book, and is why I liked it so much. The way the book is written does not make it seem like an informational book, which could be easier for young children to follow. There are vivid illustrations of the desert throughout the day, including different flowers, nuts, and animals that are in the desert. This is a good informational book because the information is not presented in such a direct way, allowing for easier learning.
Uses: I would use this book in class as part of a lesson about biomes. This would be excellent for the desert because it is fairly short and simple, but still information-heavy. I would also use it to show how illustrations can support a text.
Media: Watercolor ( )

This book provides students with an opportunity to see all the beauty in the desert. The author/illustrator, Virginia Wright-Frierson, spent the day in the Sonoran Desert and drew and recorded what she saw. She drew everything she encountered. From a tortoise eating by a flower she was drawing to seeds and pods she collected to the saguaro flowers on the cacti that was struck by lightening. All the drawings in the book are phenomenal. They are very detailed. I would use this book in my classroom to show students that this is a way they could document a trip they went on with family. They don't have to necessarily write, they can use their artistic abilities to draw what they are seeing or doing. ( )

An artist collects her supplies and heads into the Sonoran Desert to observe the flora and fauna of the beautiful desert habitat. This book records her observations of a single day, beginning with a bright morning and a hot midday, and ending with a monsoon storm and the glittering stars of a desert night. The illustrations are gorgeous watercolors that accurately present the desert wildlife described, and clearly reveal that the author spent plenty of time observing these creatures and plants in the wild. Different types of cactus, birds, animals and animal homes are lovingly presented as important parts of this unique ecosystem. The writer/illustrator clearly loved her time in the Sonoran Desert, and this feeling shines through in every aspect of the picture book. With the simple story, the authentic feeling, and the lovely watercolor illustrations, this book is an excellent introduction to the Sonoran Desert. Readers will enjoy learning about various aspects of desert life. ( )