Through Sand and Salt

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

From critically acclaimed artist Elizabeth Zunon, a picture book about one boy on a journey to deliver salt across the desert-a journey that will reveal the precious rock’s true value.

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.

This gorgeous, awe-inspiring picture book celebrates the remarkable journey that salt takes, the connections forges, and its power to nourish us.

Elizabeth Zunon was born in Albany, New York, and grew up in Côte D’Ivoire, West Africa. As a little girl, she loved to draw, paint, make up dances, and play dress-up. As she grew up, she didn’t really change! Elizabeth now lives in Albany, where she explores a multicultural world through painting, silk-screening, and collage. She is the author and illustrator of Grandpa Cacao, and the illustrator of many books including Bedtime for Sweet Creatures, written by Nikki Grimes; One Plastic Bag, written by Miranda Paul; The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer; and The Legendary Miss Lena Horne, written by Carole Boston Weatherford.
www.lizzunon.com