Sofia and the River That Wasn't There

Sofia and the River That Wasn’t There

One morning at Rancho El 7, Sofia looks toward the dry riverbed and discovers something strange.

There is no river.

But Don Enrique tells her that when the rains come, that same dry bed can suddenly become a rushing river of water flowing down from the mountains. Sofia can hardly believe it. How can a river be there one day and completely disappear the next?

As Sofia explores the ranch with Don Enrique, she learns about rain, runoff, mountains, dry riverbeds, and the important role water plays in life on the ranch. She discovers that even when the desert looks dry and quiet, the landscape is always waiting for the next rain.

Through Sofia’s adventure, young readers learn how water moves through the desert—and why a dry riverbed can still be very important.