In this book Byrd Baylor says something very straight and simple about the closeness of people and land—about the hawks, deer, and pack rats, the hard skinny plants, and the strong, brown Desert People who call the earth their mother.

They never say: "This is my land to do with as I please." they say: "We share, we only share." Desert People know the land belongs to spider and ant the same as it does to people.

A year that is hard for people is hard for scorpions too. And the rain, when it falls, is a blessing shared by all. Even the dry earth makes a sound of joy when the rain touches.

As always, Byrd Baylor has the power to take you where she is, and to make you a part of what she is a part of.

The marvelous shapes and scenes of Peter Parnall's exquisite illustrations fold earth and people and animals together into the oneness of which Byrd Baylor writes so eloquently.

From the dust jacket