The Desert is My Mother= El Desierto Es Mi Madre

Mora, P.,& Lechon, D. The Desert is My Mother=El Desierto Es Mi Madre. (1994). TX: Piñata Books.

Lexile Score: AD360L

Summary: This story is written as poetic depiction. It is about a desert that is described as the provider of comfort, food, spirit, and life. It is then tied to the metaphor, “the desert is my mother.”

Evaluation: Written as both a book and poem shows that this book is high quality literature. Also, it is written in both English and Spanish for the bilingual children, or a child trying to learn English or Spanish. Throughout the book it states ‘she’ meaning the desert and the comparison if it being her mother. It exemplifies first person point of view very well because it the narrator explains what effect the desert has had on her life like a mother.  

Looking at the lifestyle of the young girl, the reader can tell that she is very different from a typical American. Therefore, it’s a great book to learn about different backgrounds or where someone may come from. It’s also a very culturally diverse story seeing as how the young girl lives in the desert and is cared for by the desert. The only problem a reader may face with this book is the fact that the narrator says that the desert is her mother: her provider of food, comfort, spirit, and life. Men are typically seen as the provider, which is a huge stereotype, so this story definitely breaks the stereotypical boundaries.

Literary elements: Language- Each page is written as a poetic verse. Also, the story is written in both Spanish and English.

Metaphor- The whole storyline is a metaphor because it says the desert is my mother when a desert can’t actually be a mother. It’s just comparing it to a mother’s qualities.

Illustrations- They are perfect for young children; appealing, colorful, and simple, but quality.

Mini lesson: I would have a mini lesson on metaphors. Students would practice these by coming with quality comparisons such as a flower is the sun. Then, I’d have the children share some with the class and discuss what makes a quality metaphor.

Target Audience: K- 3^rd grade because of the simple storyline and poetic form.