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Saguaros, javelinas, canyons
You know the desert is full of life! Cacti, yes, but so much more: javelinas at dusk, owls that live underground and amazing blooms after the rain. The shelf for desert kids, and for families on their way to meet the desert.
12 picks · ages 0–5
Just visiting?
Same shelf, shorter list: one book to read before you go, one thing to pack, one place to see.
On the shelf
These chunky fingerpuppet board books are always fun. This one tells the story of a cute baby cactus and her flower - including how she wards of a threat from a hungry jackrabbit! Perfect for 6 months+. Toddlers love them too.
Super cute and super soft newborn set made of bamboo fabric by Emerson and Friends. Saguaro, prickly pear, barrel, and cholla cacti all get a shout out here. You can also find baby/toddler/mom pajamas in the same cacti fabric.
Cactus blossom baby swaddle by Little Hometown made from muslin and organic cotton featuring flora and fauna of the southwest, including a prickly pear cactus, a cactus wren, a striking Saguaro cactus.
For the newest littles - a black and white boardbook to help their visual development and gently introduce creatures that they'll learn to recognize as they grow. Desert Animals in Black and White ticks all the boxes.
Sarah's Silks are a wonderful open-ended toy. We love this desert earth playsilk - the ideal setting for little desert figurines. But we won't limit how your little one chooses to use this. Truly, the possibilities are endless.
Adorable and soft desert-themed pajamas by Emerson and Friends. Your little one will spot jackrabbits, coyote, armadillos, various cactus species, and more. Comes in toddler pajamas and a newborn set too!
A sweetly illustrated boardbook featuring desert flora and fauna! We love it. Desert Friends is necessary reading for all desert-dwelling and desert-visiting little ones. Grown-ups, too.
Get this from Emerson and Friends ↗Get this from Maisonette ↗
This is a stunning journey inviting us alongside a young girl and her father as they hike across the Grand Canyon from the North Rim to the South Rim. I wish I had read this before visiting this amazing site 15 years ago! Telling the geologic story of Earth through the Canyon, this one can be read and re-read, studied, its illustrations slowly pored over. Best for 6+, including curious adults.
Standing javelina ("ha-vuh-lee-na") 12 inch stuffed animal from Wild Republic. Start your little one's stuffie collection with some local pals.
What's a javelina ("ha-vuh-lee-na")? A pig-like hoofed mammal, called a peccary, native to the Americas and found across the southwest. This sweet storybook, Lina the Javelina, follows the journey of a young javelina as she works with friends to return a lost doll. Truly a desert adventure. Best for toddlers and up.
Eep. This Schleich tarantula figurine might just have you mistaking it for the real thing. But the tarantula's reputation is more aggressive than in reality - they are good bug-hunters and generally pretty docile. We still steer clear though.
We were introduced to Uncle Goose through their language blocks, and love that they also have these wooden desert blocks. The 6 block-scene introduces armadillos, multiple types of cacti, mountains, and desert sunsets. Made in the US from sustainable basswood. Recommended for ages 2+.
Nothing for that age on this shelf yet.
