Desert

Deserts appear to be bleak and inhospitable places, with dramatic scenery and harsh climates. Yet for the people and the wide variety of plants and animals that know how to survive, deserts around the world are simply home. Full-colour photographs reveal details of life in the desert. Discover the dewbeetles and thorny devils, which obtain water simply by letting it condense on their bodies and flow into their mouths. See the plants that grow and bloom for a few hours only when the rains come. Discover the peoples who live in the desert, what they wear, what their homes are like, and how they dress their camels for celebrations. Learn what makes a desert a desert and how the delicate balance of desert eco-systems is being upset by human interference. Written by Dr. Miranda MacQuitty, a scientist with several best-selling children’s books to her name, Desert is a unique and fascinating introduction to this extraordinary environment.