With wonder and wit, David Elliott’s poems look beyond the Sahara’s blinding surface to the rich flora and fauna of the world’s largest hot desert, depicted in Gordy Wright’s vibrant illustrations.

The Sahara, covering more than three million square miles, is a harsh and uninviting landscape, inhospitable to most forms of life. But under every rock, in every crevice, and hidden in the growth of the landscape, life persists. From the dangerous deathstalker scorpion and the Nile crocodile to the familiar Saharan cheetah and Nubian vulture, the animals of the Sahara not only survive but thrive. In his iconic and admiring poetry, David Elliott reveals the secrets of barren desert landscapes, featuring animals both familiar and elusive. With comprehensive back matter offering notes on the poems and Gordy Wright’s striking, saturated paintings, In the Desert seeks out the hardy animals who have made the desolate deserts their home.