Hidden Life of the Desert

And Our Future in the Drying Southwest Thomas Wiewandt Winner Next Generation Indie Book Award for Children's Picture Book Non-Fiction Winner Silver Ben Franklin Award for Teen Non-Fiction Following the Sonoran Desert of the American Southwest through its five seasons—spring, dry summer, wet summer, autumn, and winter—Hidden Life of the Desert uses stunning color photographs and clear, informative text to introduce readers to many plants and animals that thrive in this unique ecosystem. At first glance the hot valley floors and rugged mountainsides may seem barren and inhospitable, but look closely and you may find howling mice and toads that pop out of the sand. With patience you’ll see giant centipedes, bobcats, and miniature owls. You could even catch a glimpse of a Gila monster, the only poisonous lizard in the United States. In the second part of the book, entitled "Facing the Future," readers are challenged to adopt new thinking about how to live in the desert as the population explodes and water becomes scarce. You will learn about how water and power are connected, how today's mining and farming practices threaten arid lands, and how renewable energy, water management, and new crops can give us how for the future. 120 pages, paperback, 9 x 8.375 Third Edition ISBN 978-0-87842-713-0