Author: Conrad J. Storad

ISBN: 978-189179516-9

Publisher: The RGU Group

You Can Purchase This Book From Amazon  

The Sonoran Desert is a harsh place to live, unless you know the tricks to getting around. Penny Pack Rat knows all the best places to find food and trinkets. She knows to travel at night, when the air is cool, even though the night presents special problems.

Despite the danger, Penny takes us on an adventure through the nighttime desert to find a treasure for her grandmother. Roaming cautiously from one niche to another, Penny meets her friends, ring-tailed cat, elf owl, and deer mouse. While away from home, she cleverly dodges danger, such as a hungry coyote.

Penny’s a daring and sweet creature. Small children will love her exciting adventure and perhaps even identify with her goal. Even more, they’ll be glad when she’s home at last, safe and sound.

As usual, Conrad Storad does a great job of bringing nonfiction alive for the youngest readers. Children will love the flowing lyrics, written in rhyme. It has a gentle energy that will quiet an active child or perk up a sad one. Storad’s clever story is really a vehicle for teaching children about the environment and a desert habitat, but they won’t realize they’re learning. They’ll just enjoy the lilt of the prose and the soothing watercolor illustrations by Nathaniel P. Jenson. The last few pages provide information about the pack rat, its habitat, and habits. It’s a nice addition to the book and adds to its value.

The above review was contributed by: Susan Sales Harkins: Susan is a Software consultant and the author of several articles and books on database technologies. She and her husband, William, collaborate on children's non-fiction. Click Here to read more of Susan’s Reviews