1. Animals
2. Art techniques
3. Belonging
4. Birds
5. Climate
6. Collage
7. Curiosity
8. Deserts
9. Ecosystems
10. Environment
11. Fear
12. Grandparent and child
13. Insects
14. Nature
15. Plants
16. Visual literacy

In ‘Desert Jungle’ Jeannie Baker introduces readers to the Sonoran Desert more specifically the ‘Valle de los Cirios’ which covers a third of Baja, California, the large peninsula that juts out below the USA/Mexico border between the Sea of Cortes and the Pacific Ocean.

Told in the first person, the story revolves around a young boy who goes to stay at this grandfather’s ranch in the desert far from any villages. His grandpa wishes to take him exploring but he wants to play on his tablet. His bag with the tablet and a cake disappears when he leaves it outside. He sets off alone to look for it and becomes lost and frightened. He recognises the mountain behind grandpa’s house and impresses his grandpa by finding his way back. Miserable and scared he calls the place ‘a desert jungle’ though his grandpa asks, ‘Why be afraid?’

Later they go exploring and grandpa shows the boy wondrous plants and animals telling him ‘This valley is full of secrets, chico. Open your heart, listen, and see what wonders show themselves’. Exploring the boy discovers the wonders of the insects and the birds and is fascinated by the rocks that have another world living under them. One day a storm erupts, and he shelters in a cave and in the gloom sees a coyote. When a nearby tree crashes the coyote disappears. The next day Grandpa shows him the drawing of the coyote on the cave wall. When boy returns to his family gone is his fear and he is filled with love and wonder of the desert.

Jeannie Baker’s trademark collage work introduces an environment unfamiliar to most Australians. The double-paged spreads showing the colour, diversity and beauty of the flora and fauna of the desert draw you in to study closely the intricate images she has created.

In the Author’s Note at the end of the book Baker tells of being drawn by the power of the desert landscape and so she undertook a six-week research trip to the Sonoran Desert of Mexico and Arizona. She met locals and scientists, in particular Maria who had grown up there and realised that the local children knew little about the local plants and animals and had no real sense of belonging or connection to their home. ‘Nature-deficit disorder’ is a recognised worldwide problem, today children may grow up distanced from nature and come to fear it. Baker has always felt a deep sense of wonder towards nature, the need to learn to respect and take care of the natural world which is reflected in this and many of her other books.

1. Penrith Regional Gallery Teaching notes to accompany the 2023 exhibition of ‘Desert Jungle’ by Jeannie Baker https://www.penrithregionalgallery.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Jeannie-Baker-Desert-Jungle-Teachers-Guide.pdf
2. Scholastic Australia Classroom resources for ‘Desert Jungle’ by Jeannie Baker https://resource.scholastic.com.au/ResourceFiles/100125287_111061.pdf
3. Kirkus Reviews 13 March 2023 Review of ‘Desert Jungle’ by Jeannie Baker https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/jeannie-baker/desert-jungle/
4. Books Up North 10 May 2023 Kids’ Book Review: ‘Desert Jungle’ by Jeannie Baker https://booksupnorth.com/kids-book-review-desert-jungle/
5. Reading Opens Doors Blog Review of ‘Desert Jungle’ by Jeannie Baker https://blog.readingopensdoors.com.au/?p=1850
6. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum ‘Sonoran Desert Regions’ https://www.desertmuseum.org/desert/sonora.php
7. Desert USA ‘Sonoran Desert. Home of the Saguaro Cactus’ https://www.desertusa.com/sonoran-desert.html