It Rained On The Desert Today

Presents the reaction of people and animals as it rains after months of scorching days in the desert.

Presents the reaction of people and animals as it rains after months of scorching days in the desert.

Longtime residents of the Sonoran Desert, the Tohono O'odham people have spent centuries living off the land—a land that most modern citizens of southern Arizona consider totally inhospitable. Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan has lived with the Tohono O'odham, long known as the Papagos, observing the delicate balance between these people and their environment. Bringing O'odham voices to the page at every turn, he writes elegantly of how they husband scant water supplies, grow crops, and utilize wild edible foods. Woven through his account are coyote tales, O'odham children's impressions of the desert, and observations on the political problems that come with living on both sides of an international border. Whether visiting a sacred cave in the Baboquivari Mountains or attending a saguaro wine-drinking ceremony, Nabhan conveys the everyday life and extraordinary perseverance of these desert people in a book that has become a contemporary classic of environmental literature.

The second edition of this popular book contains loads of recipes, readings, and resources. Students will delight in preparing their own porridge and pudding; making candles, soap, and ink; or trying out the pioneers' recipe for sourdough biscuits as they explore different periods in U.S. history. An ideal supplement for social studies classes and homeschoolers.

Life in the desert holds a range of biological adaptations. From camels to desert scorpions to snakes, the biodiversity of these areas is fascinating. Deserts presents the intricacies of this seemingly barren and harsh ecosystem, explaining how and

Dedek paints a complex portrait of America's most famous highway.