Desert Jungle

In a desert valley, surrounded by mountains of rock and cactus, is the tiny village the boy calls home. He never wanders far, frightened of coyotes and the dusty wilds beyond. On a visit to Grandpa’s ranch, he resists the invitation to explore an area where his grandfather grew up, far from any village. The boy would rather play it safe on his tablet. But one of the creatures he fears has other plans for him, and soon the vast desert “jungle” begins to share its secrets—wonders beyond imagining. Inspired by a research trip to the Sonoran Desert in Mexico, and illustrated with richly detailed and layered mixed-media collage, Jeannie Baker’s gentle family story of awakening to nature is informed by the concept of nature deficit disorder, a subject she explores in the author’s note. Her extensive afterword also illuminates the enormous biodiversity of one of the world’s most magnificent—and misunderstood—habitats.