Pat Mora

Listen to the Desert: Oye al desierto
Clarion Books, illustrated by Francisco X. Mora
Download a hi-res jpeg of the book jacket.

Oye, oye, oye
Pon, pon, pon
Whoo, whoo, whoo
Uuu, uuu, uuu
Listen to the desert.
It speaks the languages
of owl and toad
and dove,
of wind and rain
and coyote.
Listen. Its sounds
In Spanish and English
differ but are the same.
Coo, coo, coo
Currucú, currucú, currucú.

Highlighted Reviews
"The sounds of the desert can be heard in this bilingual story as an owl hoots, a toad hops, and a snake hisses...Librarians will want to use this title with storytime groups, whose participants will enjoy pointing out the animals pictures and making appropriate noises."—School Library Journal

"A very simple text, with each line ("Listen to coyote call, ar-ar-aooo, ar-ar-aooo/El coyote canta, ahuuu, ahuuu, ahuuuu"; "listen to wind spin, zoom, zoom, zomm … ") repeated twice in English and Spanish, becomes a rhythmic, lyrical bilingual chant suggesting the onomatopoeic powers of both tongues...An attractive book for introducing the desert—and a second language—to young children."—Kirkus Reviews

"Delightful pictures and chants in English and Spanish will have children imitating the owl, toad, coyote, dove, snake and other creatures of the desert. Great fun sung as a round...Great read-aloud for any age toddler up."—Books of the Southwest

"This small book is a jewel, page after page of illustrations that beautifully present the beauty of the desert and the creature that live there. Listen to the Desert is a great adventure and an introduction into the harmony of sound and nature's bounty, the language of the desert, its rhythms and images in perfect synchronicity."—Curled up with a good kid's book