The Giving Tree of the Desert

Winner of the Judy Goddard Award for Children's Literature and highlighted as a Southwest Children's Book of the Year by Pima County Public Library, The Giving Tree of the Desert: The tale of a saguaro cactus and its nurse tree, is a southwest twist on The Giving Tree, based on the real life relationship 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.

Danielle is a proud Tucson transplant and a lover of the dangerous beauty of the Sonoran Desert. She is an educator, an adventurer, and is passionate about inspiring others to appreciate the amazing world around them and within them.

Tais Lemos is an illustrator from Brazil who now lives in Arizona. She grew up moving around between different countries. The rich cultures she experienced still influence an inspire her work.