  | Through sand and salt : a tale of discovery across the Sahara Author: Zunon, Elizabeth | |
| Price: $23.78 | ||
Summary:
In the Sahara, salt is worth its weight in gold. When a young boy is finally old enough to join his father's caravan transporting salt across the trade route to Timbuktu, he can't wait to prove himself worthy of this big responsibility.
Reviews:
Kirkus Reviews (12/15/24)
School Library Journal (01/17/25)
Booklist (+) (12/01/25)
Full Text Reviews:
Other - 10/21/2024 In a vividly told work that conveys salt’s significance to taste, trade, growing things, and more, Zunon (Bottle Tops) traces the route taken by young narrator Malik: "My ?bba is a trader, leading an azala? of a dozen salt-carrying camels through the Sahara desert to Timbuktu. And today, I’m finally joining him." As the group winds through the desert, Malik, in charge of a camel and a store of salt, trades a chunk of the mineral for dates ("Salt makes sweet foods sweeter!") and a necklace ("Precious as a treasured gift, salt enriches the bounty"). And as a grower of saffron flowers explains, when Malik plucks one of his blooms, "a pinch of salt is just what my saffron needs.... Everything that grows needs water, sun, and just a tiny bit of salt-to awaken the nutrients within." Acrylic, oil, and pastel landscapes oriented around the journey alternate with peopled images of the group’s stops in illustrations that blend muted tones and bright colors. And the arrival of a sandstorm teaches vital skills alongside lessons about the role of salt in connecting communities. Extensive back matter includes an author’s note, history of camel caravans, and more. Ages 4-8. Agent: Lori Nowicki, Painted Words. (Jan.) - Copyright 2024
School Library Journal - 01/17/2025 K-Gr 4—Readers join Malik as he journeys via camel caravan across the Sahara Desert to deliver salt to Timbuktu. The adventure is a long and arduous trip, one where Malik learns a variety of life lessons. Realistic acrylic paints and pastels, paired with the author's words, will keep readers turning pages to see what happens next. Each spread is covered in vibrant colors, capturing the ranges of a desert landscape or myriad stops along the way. Salt is a vital part of life; it can make sweet tastes sweeter and add riches to bounty. It also can save the life of Malik's camel when it wanders away in a sandstorm. VERDICT This beautifully written, vibrantly illustrated book would be a solid choice for sharing the culture and life experiences of desert dwellers, whether as windows or mirrors.—Tara Rollins - Copyright 2025 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.
Booklist - 12/01/2024 *Starred Review* Malik is proud to accompany his father on a camel caravan through the Sahara, traveling from Taoudeni to Timbuktu with a load of salt. The journey comes with many hazards: intense heat necessitating travel only in early morning and late afternoon and evening; sandstorms that obscure the trail and endanger camels and humans; and Malik's fear that he will make a mistake and disappoint his father. Along the journey, the boy also learns much about the properties and value of salt as a commodity for trading, as a soil nutrient, as a seasoning to sweeten foods, and as a reviver for those suffering from heat. Zunon's acrylic, oil, and pastel illustrations feature earth tones prominently, with arresting blues and pinks used for contrast. Set at some point in the past (an author's note clarifies that most contemporary caravans use trucks), her realistic style brings this ocean of sand and the Tuareg people into respectful focus, and includes many details of topography, oases, unique desert species such as saffron, and a trading bazaar in Timbuktu. Perspectives within the illustrations vary; for instance, in one the camels are depicted from above, with their shadows forming the more typical sideways view. With an author's note providing additional details, glossary, sources, and maps, this is an eye-opening look at an overlooked chapter in history. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.
