Product Description

Here is another model nature journal from a naturalist who has been journaling habitats since she was a youngster. In the desert she sees Gila monsters, watches scorpions with a black light and harvests saguaro flowers with a Native American family that helps her see this unique, arid environment with appreciative eyes. The "collage-style" journal features clippings of articles about animals and plants, stories of the native Tonoho O'odham, her own youthful journal entries, and even her own desert poetry. "Saguaro Moon" is a wonderful way to learn about the desert and also be inspired to keep a nature journal.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #591195 in Books
• Published on: 2002-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 32 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 2-5-Pratt-Serafini has created a joyful probe that will capture the interest and imagination of young readers. A young narrator explores Arizona's Sonoran Desert, cleverly recording her musings, scientific facts and questions, and accounts of her experiences in a nature journal decorated by her paintings of the native plants and animals and of her new friends. The watercolors masterfully draw attention to the exciting aspects of the desert that Megan has discovered and studied. On one side of the spread, a frame of flora and fauna surrounds the central action in the youngster's adventure. It faces bits and pieces of articles and reveries decorated by cutouts that will inspire young readers to make their own study and nature journals. Though the Library of Congress has classified the book as nonfiction, everything except the scientific facts-the textual citations, characterizations, and plot-is fiction. An appealing work that will inspire a love of nature in young readers.
Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Gr. 3-6. The author of Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal illustrates the Sonoran Desert of Arizona in a number of ways. The nature journal entries of a girl named Megan, recently moved to Arizona, face full-page watercolors in the bright colors of the desert. Each image has a border of related flora and fauna; for example, the saguaro page is bordered by other cacti. Other text boxes describe scorpions, butterflies, coyotes, tarantulas, and jackrabbits. Text bites describe plants and flowers. Megan makes a friend of a local Native American boy and his grandmother, and their stories and perspectives are woven into the natural history along with descriptions of the monthly moons: October is Small Rains Moon. Megan's text is self-conscious and has too many exclamation points, but the natural history is sound and the pictures engaging. GraceAnne DeCandido
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

About the Author
As a teenager, Kristin's pen and paintbrush were passionate about nature. As a result, she had three best-selling books published while she was still a teen! Whether she knew it or not at the time, keeping a journal is an extremely effective educational technique. Now, as an environmental educator in her own right, Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini is modeling how to keep a fun-filled nature journal and encouraging young people to discover a variety of habitats. Her first "model" nature journal was Salamander Rain: A Lake and Pond Journal. With this book Kristin explores a dryer, hotter habitat.

At 14, Kristin wrote and illustrated "A Walk in the Rainforest". At age 16 she followed with the popular "A Swim through the Sea". At 18 she did "A Fly in the Sky". In college, Kristin studied art. Now married with the last name of Pratt-Serafini, Kristin is a self-assured writer and artist, very environmentally aware, whose work is still young and fun.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful Book!
This is a fun book that is interesting for anyone to read. It is well designed because there are journal entries as well as informative articles written by the author on every page. The illustrations are full of color and I enjoy the attention to detail that fills this book.

Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini has a talent in writing books that are fun and informative. This book details the changing of the seasons (month to month) in the desert environment as seen by a young girl and her friend.

Wow! Beautiful, educational and fun!
Kristin Joy Pratt-Serafini began writing her fabulous books at age 14. In her fifth book, Kristin has taken her journaling habits and transformed them into interesting and educational masterpiece.

Saguaro Moon takes you on a journey through the Sonoran desert (and through the seasons) while educating you about deserts, the plant life, insects, birds, reptiles and other animals. Obscure facts are included along with references to other books, web references, and an invitation to become a Planet Scout. This is a great book for any child, teacher or home educator!