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Way Out in the Desert
This toe-tapping text will have you singing along with the lovable creatures of the desert in no time! Filled with vibrant illustrations of many of the charming plants and animals that call the Sonoran Desert home, Way Out in the Desert is a wonderful teaching tool that takes you on a trip down memory lane. If you remember singing Over in the Meadow as a child, now you can give your children their own memories of this timeless tune. So take a child on a trip where Way out in the desert having fun in the sun lived a mother horned toad and her little toady one..
32 pages, Hardcover
First published May 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
May 28, 2017
Very cute wonderful illustrations. But we can't find the number 1. Can anyone help?
September 15, 2024
A desert version of .
As a result the only actual change to the story is the habitat, the flora, the fauna and of course the behavior of said fauna for inclusion in the story's telling.
The book itself is illustrated with full page illustrations that are brightly colored to match the hot and exotic desert background. Meanwhile the animals are mostly realistic with some human expressions.
But what really makes this special is the fact that on each page is hidden the number that is the focal of that page. These numbers can be a part of the background or a part of the animal characters so the eyes need to be sharp.
All in all a wonderful desert-themed version great for those who like to explore new locations with their flora & fauna or for those living in desert regions.
As a result the only actual change to the story is the habitat, the flora, the fauna and of course the behavior of said fauna for inclusion in the story's telling.
The book itself is illustrated with full page illustrations that are brightly colored to match the hot and exotic desert background. Meanwhile the animals are mostly realistic with some human expressions.
But what really makes this special is the fact that on each page is hidden the number that is the focal of that page. These numbers can be a part of the background or a part of the animal characters so the eyes need to be sharp.
All in all a wonderful desert-themed version great for those who like to explore new locations with their flora & fauna or for those living in desert regions.
August 14, 2024
IT'S..THE...BEST!! IT'S AN ADORABLE BOOK!
July 19, 2023
If you know the adorable children's song Over in the Meadow, you will really love this book! When I opened the book to read, the first paragraph was so similar to the song that I reread it in my singing voice and sang the whole book! Turns out in the very end of the book they include the music for the song and mention it is the same melody as Over in the Meadow! It is written so well that the song just bounces out of you as you read. Lots of new words and animals for my non-desert kids which was educational as well as entertaining and engaging!
September 25, 2025
Awesome! This cute and beautiful picture book is so much more than it first seems. We learn about the animals and plants in the desert, have fun searching for the hidden numbers in the artwork, enjoy a cute story, and even get to learn more (including pronounciation help) through the glossary section in the back! To top it all off, there is even a cute new song to learn included at the end. What a truly delightful book! ^_^
April 17, 2024
You don't need to sing; the rhythm is fun to chant. Even if a child asks for this book over & over, which I suspect many do. If you do want to know how the bouncy song goes, search youtube. I love this adaptation. The count is only 1-10, but it does introduce 10 real desert critters of the American Southwest, in their habitats, with appealing, accurate, lucid art. Includes back matter.
March 30, 2022
Bought this for a friend's cabin in the desert for children who stay there (airbnb). Really brightly colored animals (although the rattlesnake freaked me out at first). But children will love this and it's perfect if you are visiting the California desert.
May 22, 2022
I really enjoy books like this, but while this is a good one, it isn't my favorite. That honor would have to go to Out on the Prairie by Donna M. Bateman, I have happily read that book over and over again and given it as a gift.
May 7, 2025
I absolutely adore this book! I love the hidden numbers and beautiful illustrations. I also really love that they used some animals that are not conventionally considered cute (I think they’re all adorable, though).
May 21, 2017
Counting. Setting. Vocabulary. Rhyme. Good illustrations. Numbers hiding on the pages. Animal facts.
April 23, 2020
So fun to read as the parent. I love how subtly educational it is about each of these lesser talked about animals. We didn't know there were hidden numbers the first few times we read them!
May 18, 2020
Fun little rhyming book
August 7, 2020
My granddaughters and I really enjoyed this really well illustrated book.
September 4, 2020
Easily my favorite children's book! Teaches rhyming and counting. Also, has the numbers hidden on the page for little ones to find!
May 27, 2022
Nice read!
May 20, 2024
So cute. Love this song, love this adaptation to the desert.
November 9, 2024
My daughter really got a laugh out of this, I think because of the different animals and rhymes. It is overall adorable for sure.
May 2, 2016
Way Out in the Desert by T.J. Marsh and Jennifer Ward is a good example of an informational text picture book. This book is truly amazing as it is informational, rhyming, and a counting book all in one! The informational part of the book is about animals found in the Sonoran Desert, their offspring, and typical behaviors of these animal. All the text in the book rhymes and can be sung along to. It is a very catchy tune! Also, the book starts with describing a horned toad and one offspring and ends with a tarantula with ten little spiders. So, there is definitely an opportunity to practice numbers and counting, as well. Like majority of information text, this book has a glossary that defines vocabulary and the animal names found throughout the book.
The illustrations of this book are colorful and obviously cartoonish. Despite the fact that the illustrations are cartoony, they are accurate and demonstrate true-to-life characteristics of the Sonoran Desert animals. The pictures cover the entire pages of the book and almost no white is seen in the illustrations. The text is placed strategically on the page and careful not to detract away from the illustrations. Since this is also a counting book, the number that the page is describing can also be found hidden in the illustrations.
Overall, I loved this book! I thought it was an amazing book that serves many purposes. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially people who read to their kids. Since it is a rhyming book, you can read this book in a singing way; I am sure the children would love to sing or hum along! Another aspect I enjoyed was the beautiful illustrations. The author/illustrator could have used real pictures of the animals but I feel the illustrations are highly accurate and very appealing to people of all ages, especially little ones.
The illustrations of this book are colorful and obviously cartoonish. Despite the fact that the illustrations are cartoony, they are accurate and demonstrate true-to-life characteristics of the Sonoran Desert animals. The pictures cover the entire pages of the book and almost no white is seen in the illustrations. The text is placed strategically on the page and careful not to detract away from the illustrations. Since this is also a counting book, the number that the page is describing can also be found hidden in the illustrations.
Overall, I loved this book! I thought it was an amazing book that serves many purposes. I would recommend this book to everyone, especially people who read to their kids. Since it is a rhyming book, you can read this book in a singing way; I am sure the children would love to sing or hum along! Another aspect I enjoyed was the beautiful illustrations. The author/illustrator could have used real pictures of the animals but I feel the illustrations are highly accurate and very appealing to people of all ages, especially little ones.
March 3, 2013
Best for kids ages 3 and up
Early Literacy Skills: Print Motivation, Vocabulary, Phonological Awareness
From cover:
This toe-tapping text will have you singing along with the lovable creatures of the desert in no time! Filled with vibrant illustrations of many of the charming plants and animals that call the Sonoran Desert home, Way Out in the Desert is also a wonderful teaching tol that takes you on a trip down memory lane.
For new readers, the text' s rhyming repetition reinforces emerging reading skills. Pre-schoolers and kindergartners also will love finding the numerals hidden in every illustration.
For older children, this is a whole-language science book, complete with glossary and filled with fascinating facts about the Sonoran Desert.
If you remember singing "Over in the Meadow" as a child, now you can give your children their own memories of this timeless tune.
So take a child on a trip where "Way out in the desert having fun in the sun lived a mother horned toad and her little toady one ..."
Beautiful, bold, colorful illustrations that bring to life the Sonoran Desert.
Early Literacy Skills: Print Motivation, Vocabulary, Phonological Awareness
From cover:
This toe-tapping text will have you singing along with the lovable creatures of the desert in no time! Filled with vibrant illustrations of many of the charming plants and animals that call the Sonoran Desert home, Way Out in the Desert is also a wonderful teaching tol that takes you on a trip down memory lane.
For new readers, the text' s rhyming repetition reinforces emerging reading skills. Pre-schoolers and kindergartners also will love finding the numerals hidden in every illustration.
For older children, this is a whole-language science book, complete with glossary and filled with fascinating facts about the Sonoran Desert.
If you remember singing "Over in the Meadow" as a child, now you can give your children their own memories of this timeless tune.
So take a child on a trip where "Way out in the desert having fun in the sun lived a mother horned toad and her little toady one ..."
Beautiful, bold, colorful illustrations that bring to life the Sonoran Desert.
July 1, 2011
Way Out in the Desert is a new take on an old classic; authors T. J. Marsh and Jennifer Ward, along with illustrator Kenneth J. Spengler have written a book that is fun to read and educational at the same time.
Remember the old song, Over in the Meadow? Its the same story here, only it takes place in the Sonoran Desert. The Sonoran Desert covers parts of California and Arizona in the U.S. and crosses over into Mexico. It also shares a border with the Mojave Desert, also in California. The animals in this version include Gila monsters, road runners, and javelinas.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Way Out in the Desert by T. J. Marsh, Jennifer Ward, and Kenneth J. Spengler - a book review - San Francisco fiction | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/fiction-in-sa...
November 9, 2018
I absolutely adore this book. My son is 4 months right now and the wonderful illustrations either captivate him into stillness or make him reach for the page. Ward's rhyming is soothing and rhythmic, perfect for story time.
For those of you with slightly older children who are interested in teaching about different places/things and expanding vocabulary, the counting method teaches about what you will see in the desert (octillo door, Palo Verde tree, saguaros, etc), the movement of the animals (scurry, burrow, snuggle), and the habits of the animals (eg: mama scorpions carry babies on their backs).
Having lived in the desert, I am happy to have this book to share the experience with my son as he grows up. Also, she has done such a wonderful job with this book that I'm looking forward to requesting her other "Way Out" counting books (Arctic and Ocean) for his 1 year birthday.
For those of you with slightly older children who are interested in teaching about different places/things and expanding vocabulary, the counting method teaches about what you will see in the desert (octillo door, Palo Verde tree, saguaros, etc), the movement of the animals (scurry, burrow, snuggle), and the habits of the animals (eg: mama scorpions carry babies on their backs).
Having lived in the desert, I am happy to have this book to share the experience with my son as he grows up. Also, she has done such a wonderful job with this book that I'm looking forward to requesting her other "Way Out" counting books (Arctic and Ocean) for his 1 year birthday.
October 8, 2011
I revisited this tale of the Sonoran Desert this week when I was asked to come read a story to my youngest daughter's school class. Since Madeline was born in Tucson, I decided it would be fun to share a book so full of the culture of her birthplace. This was one of my oldest daughter's favorites when she was a kindergartner there because it showcases so many unique Arizona plants and animals, and does it to the tune of "Over in the Meadow." Maddie's class of Utahns loved the colorful illustrations, and this book prompted quite a fun discussion about life in the desert. This is a must-have for any child with Tucson connections.
March 13, 2015
Beautiful. Pictures are lovely and the rhyming is pleasant to read aloud. I enjoyed the subject matter of mamas and babies in their wild habitat, and the vocabulary of the American South West deserts was interesting for my little ones. My only complaint is that the last picture shows spiders spinning/knitting a sweater, which, while cute, detracts from what otherwise would be described as a more realistic book for children.
December 22, 2016
not my favorite in the series but another cute addition about ten animals who live in the dessert and their babies. Each animals counts adds one more baby till they get to ten and demonstrates an action or sound that animal makes. featured animals are: horned toad, hummingbird, javelina, rattlesnake, Gila monster, roadrunner, jackrabbit, scorpion, coyote, and tarantula
June 25, 2008
This is a fun one for yournger children. It's a counting book, a desert book and a singing book. It even has a glossary of animals in the back. There is a page of sheet music. Each page of the book can be sung to the tune. Very fun.
January 8, 2016
This board book is sung to the tune of over in the meadow. It focuses on desert creatures and works on counting skills. The picture are beautiful and they match what the author is writing.
Recommended age 0-5
Reading Level 2nd grade
Recommended age 0-5
Reading Level 2nd grade
September 10, 2015
Since we went to Vegas my daughter has an idea of what the desert is. That being said she loved the illustrations in this book and all the information about how they live in the desert. Best part of the book: she thought the scorpion was a lobster. Close but no cigar!
April 16, 2016
My daughter and I love this book! It brought us happy moments through very hard times and when we see Way Out in the Desert on a bookshelf at any store, we start quoting it from memory. She's a teen now and we still sit down and read it together. Precious moments.
January 19, 2008
A poetic introduction to desert animals. Very cute.
October 28, 2008
I learned: that way out in the desert having fun in the sun is a momma horned toad and her little baby one.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews