Desert Surprise Series

If your curriculum contains a unit on deserts check out this web site.  The books in the Desert Surprise Series are a unique combination of an easy to read  story for elementary school children and accurate information on desert life.  To make your planning easier each book has discussion questions at the end of the story.  These questions lead into lessons about; the ecology of the desert, the animals that inhabit the desert, the cacti of the desert.

These books can also be used to study art appreciation and artistic techniques.  The illustrator is a Professor of Art Education and her illustrations offer an impressionistic view of the desert.  The series books have discussion questions to encourage the reader to analyze and intemperate the art.  When art classes are being cut from curriculums across the country here is a way to integrate art appreciation into a reading or nature study lesson.  

Take a look at the new page that I’ve added.  It’s a preview of “Sarah’s Desert Surprise“, the 2nd book in my Desert Surprise Series, which will be published and available for purchase later this summer.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer with family and friends as I am, while experiencing all the wonder’s of nature.

Emily York, author of the Desert Surprise Series

“Lindsey’s Desert Surprise” has traveled to St. Andrews in New Brunswick, Canada. This is a surprising place for a book about the Sonoran Desert. You may wonder how this happened.

A long time ago when I was in high school before I ever dreamed of writing a book, I took clarinet lessons from Lewis Dalvit. Maestro Lewis Dalvit is the founder and co-artistic director of St. Andrews Arts Council, and the conductor of the Eastern Tennessee Regional Orchestra. We have renewed our association and so I sent a copy of the book to him. He was impressed with my book and took it to St. Andrews where it will be on sale. I think this is a wonderful story of people connecting and reconnecting after many years. Our influence on those around us is amazing. People in beautiful St Andrews will see wildlife of the beautiful Sonoran Desert, as illustrated by Mary Stokrocki, in the children’s’ picture book, “Lindsey’s Desert Surprise.”

Emily York, author of “Lindsey’s Desert Surprise” first book in the Desert Surprise Series.

Visit the St. Andrews Arts Council site  http://www.standrewsartscouncil.nb.ca/

The cover for Sarah’s Desert Surprise shows the prickly pear cactus in full bloom blowing kisses to the wind.

This illustration from Lindsey’s Desert Surprise depicts the dancing cactus she dreams about at the end of the book.

This deer is enjoying a leisurely dinner.

Why do you think there is such a difference between the painting of the deer and the photograph?

This website is also a blog so please join the conversation and leave a comment.  Scroll to the end of the post and click on the word, comments.  Then just follow the directions.  I would love to hear from you and you will be able to read the other comments. 

Check our our Educator’s Tab at the top the screen. We’ve added a page of ideas for making Lindsey’s Desert Surprise interactive.

If Lindsey looked at the foothill by Grandma’s house the other day she would have seen 6 mule deer among the yellow brittlebush and cacti. Learn more about the Superstition Mountains.

Lindsey’s Desert Surprise may now be purchased on-line with PayPal.  See our BOOKSTORE Page for more information.

Silly Mountain - March 2008

It has been a rainy winter which is good because it raises the water level. The desert turned green first and now the mountain sides are yellow with brittlebush and wild poppies. The roadside is orange with mallow, blue with lupine, yellow with poppies. While this is very beautiful, the fear is that it will dry out and there will be danger of wild fires.