(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gordy Wright. In fifteen verses, Elliott celebrates creatures who inhabit the Sahara Desert -- and, in one introductory poem, the desert itself. As always in this winning series (see At the Poles, rev. 9/23, and eight other titles), the poems are an enticing mix of the evocative and the witty, with haunting language characterizing some poems and light wordplay others. Many use an engaging direct address: for instance, for the desert horned viper, "Why do / they call / this place / the Land / of Fear? / Perhaps / because / they know / that you / are here." Wright employs a desert-appropriate palette, with warm browns and light oranges and greens dominating the mixed-media illustrations. The animals are often shown looking out at the reader, enhancing the book's arresting effect. Appended with extremely useful and illuminating "Notes about the Sahara Desert and the Animals"; the information that dung beetles navigate by the Milky Way is particularly "cool."

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(3) K-3 Captivating mixed-media art frames Turk's multilayered original folktale, in which a storyteller in the Kingdom of Morocco recounts how a young boy saves his drought-inflicted village. Abstract images evoke a bustling village square, building outlines made hazy by sandstorms, vibrant fabrics that contrast with the tan desert, and maze-like carpet patterns. Visually and textually, there's much to savor in this gorgeous book.

Reviewer: Lauren Causey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Hoda Hadadi. Lalla, an Arab girl, longs to wear the traditional malafa as her mother does. She learns that the veiled garment represents faith to the women of her community. Hadadi uses textured papers and curved lines to highlight the drape and softness of the coveted dress. Cunnane gives her readers a glimpse of life in the Sahara from a child's believable, sympathetic perspective.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by P. J. Lynch. Issa finds a baby in the desert and lovingly raises the girl, teaching her to be a guide like himself; when Issa goes blind, Mariama becomes his eyes. One day the kind pair guides a band of travelers who change their lives. The imagined West Africa setting is enchantingly crisp in both the poetic prose and in Lynch's lavish watercolor and gouache paintings.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) YA Jake and his sister, children of the British ambassador to Burkina Faso, are kidnapped by someone who appears to be the notorious outlaw and alleged terrorist Yakuuba Sor. But when they meet the real Sor and discover he's more akin to Robin Hood, they help try to clear his name. The story offers a nuanced look into political complexities.

Reviewer: Randy Ribay

(4) 4-6 World Cultures series. These books describe the culture and lifestyle of two desert communities, the Tuareg in the Sahara and the Maasai in the African savannah. The deserts' environmental effects on livelihood is followed by information about food, clothing, arts and folklore, celebrations, and a simple craft or quiz activity. The large-font text can be simplistic, but the many photographs are compelling. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these World Cultures titles: Living in the African Savannah and Living in the Sahara.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) YA In an alternate-reality Nigeria, 2070, fourteen-year-old Ejii, a telepathic "shadow speaker," learns that she will avert a war. With her affectionate talking camel, Ejii heads into the Sahara Desert to prepare. The novel is brimful with ideas about war, destiny, and identity, but the overly transparent moral message mitigates its power.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker

(3) 4-6 In this sequel to Skullduggery, young Matthew accompanies his employer, phrenologist Asa Cornwall, to the Sahara, where they hope to find the skull of Alexander the Great. When they're captured by slave traders, Matthew concocts a showy ruse to engineer their release. The dangers and beauty of the Saharan setting are evocatively described in this nineteenth-century historical adventure.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta