THROUGH SAND AND SALT: A TALE OF DISCOVERY ACROSS THE SAHARA, by Elizabeth Zunon, Bloomsbury Children’s Books, Jan. 21, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 4-8)
Follow a boy as he travels across the desert to deliver salt in Through Sand and Salt: A Tale of Discovery Across the Sahara, by Elizabeth Zunon.
In the Sahara, salt is worth its weight in gold. When Malik is finally old enough to join his father’s caravan, transporting salt across the long trade route to Timbuktu, he can’t wait to prove himself worthy of this big responsibility.
Over the long and difficult route, the boy will discover that salt does far more than just preserve and flavor food. With its essential roles in trade, ritual, civilizations, and even our bodies, salt sustains life. Most important of all, Malik discovers his own self-confidence as he grows from a novice to a future leader of his salt caravan. —Synopsis provided by Bloomsbury Children’s Books
Through Sand and Salt explores the salt trade through the lens of a boy making the journey the first time with his father.
Author-illustrator Elizabeth Zunon’s text is both engaging and informative as readers follow the process from loading the salt to crossing the Sahara Desert to arriving at Timbuktu. Along the way, Malik views the night sky, meets new people, discovers flowers amongst the sand and gets caught up in a sandstorm.
Through Sand and Salt is an endearing tale that comes to life in Zunon’s illustrations crafted from acrylic and oil paints with pastels. Her use of space and color emphasize the enormity of the journey and enhance emotion.
Extensive endnotes include more information on the history of caravans, camels, the Tuareg people, the value of salt, what makes salt so special and a glossary.
Through Sand and Salt is a book that will easily catch a child’s eye and hold their interest throughout.
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