September 15, 2021
Grades K-2 After exploring ecosystems in books like Over and Under the Rainforest (2020) and Over and Under the Snow (2011), Messner turns to life in a desert canyon. Based on the author's experiences at Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in Southern California, the book features a Black mother and biracial son standing at the edge of a canyon. As the pair makes their way down into the canyon, hiking over rocks and sand, they note the wildlife above, around, and below them, from a golden eagle and bighorn sheep to a red diamond rattlesnake and harvest ants. And then at the base, there's an unexpected explosion of wildflowers! Back at camp with the white father, the family experiences still more spectacular scenes at nightfall, such as a hairy scorpion that glows in the dark. Once again, Messner's descriptive imagery with lots of action verbs combines with Neal's attractive artwork, this time in a range of earthy colors. A concluding section offers more information about the animals and plants mentioned throughout this fine addition to the ongoing series.
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November 1, 2021
Messner and Neal add this trek in the canyonlands of the American West to their excellent series (beginning with Over and Under the Snow, rev. 1/12). A mother and child day-hike through a desert landscape. They observe the animals within a canyon; in the skies above it; in other open spaces; and underneath the rocks and sand. With rich and unusual hues, Neal's illustrations capture the feel of the desert heat, following the hikers' gazes as they swing back and forth to watch hawks and kestrels soaring high above, and geckos, sheep, and rabbits moving past them through the canyon and valley. The text starts at a leisurely pace, speeds up during dramatic interactions (such as between predators and prey), then settles back contentedly as the hikers rejoin Dad at camp. As night falls, the family (Mom's Black, Dad's white) continues to observe nocturnal animals. Several appended pages include more information on each of the observed species as well as a selection of additional resources. Danielle J. Ford
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
July 1, 2021
Messner and Neal add this trek in the canyonlands of the American West to their excellent series (beginning with Over and Under the Snow, rev. 1/12). A mother and child day-hike through a desert landscape. They observe the animals within a canyon; in the skies above it; in other open spaces; and underneath the rocks and sand. With rich and unusual hues, Neal's illustrations capture the feel of the desert heat, following the hikers' gazes as they swing back and forth to watch hawks and kestrels soaring high above, and geckos, sheep, and rabbits moving past them through the canyon and valley. The text starts at a leisurely pace, speeds up during dramatic interactions (such as between predators and prey), then settles back contentedly as the hikers rejoin Dad at camp. As night falls, the family (Mom's Black, Dad's white) continues to observe nocturnal animals. Several appended pages include more information on each of the observed species as well as a selection of additional resources.
(Copyright 2021 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)