Through Sand and Salt: A tale of Discovery Across the Sahara
Through Sand and Salt: A tale of Discovery Across the Sahara
Picture Book / Mali / Ages 4-8
Bloomsbury Children's Books
January 21, 2025
Uppaged
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.
Students learned that salt comes in slabs, not grounded table salt
I got to introduce them to Ancient Mali before our unit of study in May. The students and I enjoyed the book. Students were amazed that salt came in slabs and was so valuable!
My students loved the illustrations of this book. They all shared that the book is very colorful.
My students discussed that even though Malik made a mistake by losing his camel, he should be forgiven instead being scolded by his father. His father did forgive him and made him the leader on the journey home.
I truly enjoyed sharing this wonderful book with my students because they got to see a glimpse of Ancient Mali, which we will be studying later in the spring.
3rd Grade Teacher Fairfax, VA
My students knew a lot about the trade caravans during the Mali Empire from our studies of the West African Kingdoms.
The beautiful illustrations, the reinforcement of their knowledge, and being read to aloud from such a beautifully written book
The students were able to experience the real human side of the trade caravan journeys and also see this coming-of-age experience through their own eyes.
This was a highlight of Black History Month and our study of the West African Kingdoms this year. I will read it to my students every year!
Middle School Social Studies Teacher Montgomery County, Maryland