Baker, Jeannie. Desert Jungle. Jeannie Baker, Illus. Candlewick, 05/2023. [40]pp. Picture Book. Trade $18.99. 978-1-5362-2577-8. GRADES Kindergarten – 3. ADDITIONAL.
A boy describes his visit to his grandfather’s home in a small village in Baja, California, where the snakes, coyotes, and other elements of the desert frighten the boy. Soon the grandfather shows the boy how to appreciate the desert. The quiet story may take more than one reading to appreciate what the author is saying about honoring the environment. Baker’s signature collage artwork shows a realistic desert during both the day and night, and shows the boy and grandfather as Latinx. The book ends with a map and more details about the desert plants and animals of the Sonoran desert.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool