The Desert Run Level 25-26

The Desert Run follows the real-life journey of John Bonallack and his son Dan as they take on the "toughest footrace on Earth" through the unforgiving Sahara Desert. Presented as a diary, the book chronicles their daily experiences with detailed maps and footnotes that provide context and additional insights. From blistering heat to difficult terrain, readers gain a vivid sense of the physical and emotional challenges involved in long-distance endurance running. The text integrates key features such as safety considerations, geographic references, and a œdog tag motif that visually tracks their progress. Students will explore non-fiction narrative structure and learn how personal experiences can be conveyed through diary entries, enriched with graphical aids. This compelling account offers a unique way to study geography, resilience, and personal achievement while encouraging thoughtful discussions on goal-setting and human endurance.

Educational Benefits:

• Reinforces comprehension of diary text structure and purpose.
• Encourages interpretation of graphic aids such as maps and footnotes.
• Introduces specialised vocabulary related to endurance racing and geography.
• Develops skills in synthesising written and visual information.

Classroom Ideas:

• Have students create a diary entry based on a physical challenge they've undertaken.
• Use the maps in the book as a basis for a geography lesson on North Africa.
• Research the Marathon des Sables and present key facts as a group.
• Compare the diary format with other non-fiction formats like biographies or reports.

Information:

• Reading Level: 25-26 (Emerald)
• Suitable for ages: 10-12 years
• Format: Paperback
• Page size approx.: 210mm x 148mm