Fiction Notes

Desert Baths

Award Winner


Watch the vulture bask in the morning sun, the roadrunner kick up a cloud of dust, the javelina wallow, and the bobcat give her cub a licking with a rough tongue in Desert Baths. As the sun travels across the sky, learn how twelve different desert animals face the difficulties of staying clean in a dry and parched land. Explore the desert habitat through its animals and their habits of hygiene. Told in lyrical prose, this story is a celebration of the desert lands of the American Southwest.

Spanish version of Desert Baths32-Page HC: 9781607185253
32-Page PB: 9781607185345
Downloadable English: 9781607185437
Downloadable Spanish: 9781607185529

PDF Previews: English, Espanol.

All animals bathe to keep their bodies clean and healthy. Humans might use soap and water, but what do animals, especially those living in dry climates, do to keep clean? Darcy Pattison and Kathleen Rietz team up again to explore the desert to find out how snakes, spiders, and birds bathe. This surprising book teaches children about hygiene and how some exciting desert creatures manage to stay clean without the help of soap and water.

Alignment to education standards for each state.
For Creative Minds–Teacher Resources.
Author Interview.

Reviews of Desert Baths

“intriguing combination of biology and earth science” KIRKUS reviews
“will hold children’s interest on many levels” SLJ reviews
“. . .even adult readers may be impressed to learn that scaled quails use ants to groom their feathers, or that the desert gecko can remove dirt from its eyes with its own tongue.” Booklist

Video Book Trailer for Desert Baths

This video was taped at the 2012 Arkansas Audubon Summer Camp and features kids acting out various bath times.

If you can’t see this video, click here. To download this video for use in your classroom, use this DropBox link (Mp4)

Companion Book: Prairie Storms

After you read about deserts and desert animals, read about prairies and prairie animals in this companion book, Prairie Storms.

Darcy Pattison

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6 responses to “Desert Baths”

  2. […] Watch the vulture bask in the morning sun, the roadrunner kick up a cloud of dust, the javelina wallow, and the bobcat give her cub a licking with a rough tongue in Desert Baths. As the sun travels across the sky, learn how twelve different desert animals face the difficulties of staying clean in a dry and parched land. Explore the desert habitat through its animals and their habits of hygiene. Told in lyrical prose, this story is a celebration of the desert lands of the American Southwest. Read more about Desert Baths here. […]