Red Planet: Life in our Deserts and Hot Spots

In Red Planet: Life in Our Deserts and Hot Spots, youth will learn about a variety of plant and animal species that inhabit some of the driest, hottest locations on earth. Adaptation is essential for all living creatures, and for those who live in notoriously adverse climates, it’s the key to their survival. From fennec foxes’ ability to use their enormous ears as radiator-like structures to cool their bodies from the brutal Saharan heat to sandfish’s mastery of literally swimming through the sand to travel from place to place as well as remain out of the scorching heat, children will discover how adaptation makes life possible in seemingly impossible conditions.

This is a fascinating book. It’s an ideal resource for elementary school science teachers. Its child-friendly format welcomes readers to explore the desert-covered terrain that makes up nearly one-third of the earth’s land surface and the life that exists there. It’s full of vibrant, detailed illustrations that will captivate early learners, and instead of lengthy descriptions of each species, tidbits of interesting facts on a plethora of different ones are provided. At the end of this alluring read, an animal and plant index, as well as information about adjustments made to homes in these fiery-hot regions, is included.