In Desert and Wilderness is a novel for children by Polish author and Nobel Prize-winning novelist Henryk Sienkiewicz. It tells the story of two children, Staś Tarkowski and Nel Rawlison, and their adventures as they cross the African desert and jungle. During the journey they face lions, leopards and malaria, make friends with desert tribespeople and an elephant, and learn about some harsh realities of life. An unusual "coming of age" story! - Summary by Beth Thomas