Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Desert Baths

by Darcy Pattison (Goodreads Author), Kathleen Rietz (Illustrator)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 8 ratings · 3 reviews

Watch the vulture bask in the morning sun, the roadrunner kick up a cloud of dust, the javelina wallow, and the bobcat give her cub a licking with a rough tongue in Desert Baths. As the sun travels across the sky, learn how twelve different desert animals face the difficulties of staying clean in a dry and parched land. Explore the desert habitat through its animals and th...more

Hardcover, 32 pages

Published August 10th 2012 by Sylvan Dell Publishing (first published August 1st 2012)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is not yet featured on Listopia. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 250)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Dec 28, 2012 Wayne S. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Everyone knows that it seldom rains in the desert and is very dry there, so how do animals in the desert take baths to get rid of dirt, germs, bugs, and parasites? Author Darcy Pattison covers a day in the life of the American southwest desert to explain how a turkey vulture, an Anna’s hummingbird, a desert tortoise, a roadrunner, a mule deer, a diamondback rattler, a scaled quail, a western banded gecko, a javalina, a pallid bat, a coyote, and a bobcat, all get baths, along with other interesti...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 06, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: animals, science

Each of the animals in this early reader picture book depends on its desert habitat in order to survive. While a roadrunner uses dust to clean itself, a scaled quail uses an ant to groom itself, and others such as the desert tortoise look forward to rainfall for a bath. Although the baths may not all be cleansing or grooming rituals with which young readers will be familiar such as snake skin shedding, all of the vignettes allow readers to learn more about the fascinating world around them where...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 08, 2012 Eularee Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: parents, grandparents and teachers

I must admit I was intrigued by the title of this book. One does not think of taking a bath and the desert in the same sentence. Personally, I have a deep affection for the desert and the animals that inhabit its sparse and often hostile environment. Darcy Pattison's new book Desert Baths, is a great way to learn about the animals that call the desert home.

The warm tones of the illustrations reflect the heat of the desert. Each page is framed in a desert motif of a tortoise shell pattern, prickl...more I must admit I was intrigued by the title of this book. One does not think of taking a bath and the desert in the same sentence. Personally, I have a deep affection for the desert and the animals that inhabit its sparse and often hostile environment. Darcy Pattison's new book Desert Baths, is a great way to learn about the animals that call the desert home.

The warm tones of the illustrations reflect the heat of the desert. Each page is framed in a desert motif of a tortoise shell pattern, prickly cactus and desert sky. The story takes us deep into the nooks and crannies of the desert floor to find the animals seeking shelter from the desert sun. Even the hummingbird bathes in the dew drops from the cool desert night. Each animal cleans itself with such care and curious behaviors as it grooms without benefit of soap and often little or no water.

Thick, cool mud serves as a place to wallow, roll and scratch for the javelina, while the pallid bat takes a spit bath by the stars in the midnight sky. Darcy writes of the yipping coyotes, making us want to cock our ears to hear the lonesome howl. Mothers and babies cuddle and wrestle in the desert light, to the comforting tongue baths send them gentlly off to sleep. Pattison descriptions of the animals and their surroundings are just as colorful as the illustrations. Her writing is like a paintbrush across the desert sky, vividly setting the stage with broad strokes. Her words detail the smallest ant in the beak of the quail as it uses it like a scrub brush. From snake to mule deer fawn, each page introduces us to the clean ways of the desert animal.

My grandchildren are fascinated by the animal kingdom, from barnyard to backyard. This book is a treasure filled with a place and animals they rarely see. Although suitable for young pre-school children, the book includes For Creative Minds, a study guide filled with fun facts, matching the animals to their survival skills, maps of the deserts in North America and many more engaging tools for parents and teachers. Teaching activities include language arts, math, geography and science.

Darcy Pattison, award winning author, has also published Prairie Storms and her books have been published in eight languages. In demand for her teaching, she is also the Co-Chair of the Children's Program for the Arkansas Literary Festival. You can visit her web site at www.darcypattison.com.

Kathleen Reitz, lifelong artist, has worked as illustrator, designer and product developer. Her numerous book illustrations speak volumes as to her love and play of art in the literary style. Learn more about her work as illustrator and teacher on her web site, www.kathleenrietz.com.

Pattison and Retiz have captured the essence of the desert without getting sand in your shoes. Desert Baths is a great book to have on any child's bookshelf and certainly a must for any elementary classroom.

(less)

like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Tif added it

Shelves: children, on-my-shelf

Feb 20, 2013 Jamestownreads added it

Shelves: books-about-science

Feb 08, 2013 Barry marked it as to-read

Feb 04, 2013 Danielle Martin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 1-stack-ecosystem-desert, narrative-non-fiction, 311, science

Dec 28, 2012 Myra Marquez marked it as to-read

Dec 03, 2012 Adam rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: picture-books, read-in-2012, read-to-corbchops, informational

Nov 09, 2012 Stacy Robinson marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Kyle marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Pamela marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Margie Mcmahon marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Kelley Roach marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Kaidec marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Patricia marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Florence marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Micki marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Stephanie marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Jenni marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Daniel Vice marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Alina Vincent marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Nicole marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Noelle marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Kathleen Smith marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Jennifer Goudreau marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Carolyn marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Starletta Schipp marked it as to-read

Nov 09, 2012 Michael marked it as to-read

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 next »

See top shelves...

About Darcy Pattison

DARCY PATTISON (www.darcypattison.com) is published in eight languages. Her recent titles WISDOM The Midway Albatross (wisdom.darcypattison.com)received a *STARRED REVIEW in Publisher's Weekly and is the winner of the 2013 Writer's Digest Self-Published award. Other recent titles include two nature books for Sylvan Dell, PRAIRIE STORMS and DESERT BATHS (August, 2012), and 11 WAYS TO RUIN A PHOTOGR...more

More about Darcy Pattison...

Books by Darcy Pattison

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Desert Baths

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Desert Baths
avg rating	preview: Desert Baths Goodreads rating: 3.88 (8 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14478529-desert-baths?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348320173l/14478529.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14478529-desert-baths?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Desert Baths by Darcy Pattison[/url]

Desert Baths

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

About Darcy Pattison

Books by Darcy Pattison

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Desert Baths

Desert Baths

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topicDiscuss This Book

combineOther Editions (3)

Genres

About Darcy Pattison

Books by Darcy Pattison

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About Desert Baths

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)