The Giving Tree of the Desert

Inspired by this very cactus, The Giving Tree of the Desert: The tale of a sauguaro cactus and its nurse tree, is a southwest twist on Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, based on the real life relationships between young saguaro cacti and the nurse trees they depend on for survival as they grow.

A lonely palo verde becomes the nurse tree for a tiny black saguaro seed. It protects the baby saguaro from animals, heat, monsoon storms, and many other dangers in the desert. What will happen to the nurse tree as the saguaro grows big and tall?

This is a science-meets-storytelling tale from nature itself on how we all rely on the support of others for us to thrive.

by Danielle Fradette (Author), Tais Lemos (Illustrator) 

Winner of the 2023 Judy Goddard Award for Children’s Literature and named a 2023 Southwest Book of the Year for Children