A Rose in Desert talks about the one thing every child has common, a birthday! It is the story of a young girl, Rose, who awakens on her seventh birthday on the Tibesti Mountains of Chad in a refugee camp. Rose is determined to have a beautiful birthday. She sets about her day with a positive and joyous attitude. Rose spends a lively day at school learning about the planets and the pyramids of Egypt. After school, Rose and her three best friends, The Fearless Foursome, visit The Cave of Dreams to play music, dance and laugh the afternoon away. Later, Rose receives some surprises, which remind her that life is full of wonderful things, and good friends and loving families are the most wonderful of all.
Motivated by the crisis in Darfur, A Rose in Desert stresses that material things are not the key to happiness, but good friends and a supportive family are. Chi Emerole and her illustrator, Ryan Durney, strived to introduce a positive attitude through clever illustrations. The book is intended to capture the spirit of a child, making A Rose in Desert one of the most promising summer books for young readers.
Chi Emerole is a pediatrician and a member of the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. She currently lives in Georgia with her husband and adorable son. She is passionate about poetry, creative writing, traveling, and improving the lives of children.
