Saguaro: The Desert Giant

by Susan Lowell, Susan Lowell

Ask a child to draw a picture of a cactus, and the result will probably look like a saguaro. Indeed, mass media have made this denizen of the Sonoran Desert universally recognizable, and perhaps just as misunderstood. In The Desert Giant, Anna Humphreys and Susan Lowell share true stories about this amazing, anthropomorphic cactus that are at least as intriguing as the folklore. A saguaro can grow to be a towering fifty feet or more and live for as long as two centuries. During rainy seasons, a large saguaro can soak up literally hundreds of gallons of water in its expandable, accordion-folded trunk and arms. For uncounted generations, the Tohono Oodham people in Arizona have harvested the sweet saguaro fruits to make syrup and wine. Profusely illustrated with contemporary and historic photographs and other artwork, The Desert Giant celebrates these iconic cacti while arguing that the need to preserve their critical Sonoran Desert habitat is more pressing now than ever.

Genres: Childrens

64 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Susan Lowell often writes about the Southwest border country in both fiction and nonfiction. Her forthcoming adult short-story collection, "Two Desperados,” returns to the genre of her first book, “Ganado Red.” Her family has lived in the American West since Gold Rush days, and family stories have inspired many children’s books as well as an adult novel in progress called “The Wild West Waltz” (see the story “Two Desperados” for a preview!)
She and her husband divide their time between Tucson, Arizona and a ranch near the Mexican border.

Reviews

[Nicholas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but thorough review of the saguaro cactus and its use by humans. In the age of Instagram, some of the pictures and graphic design can feel lacking, but the book fully captures the spirit of the saguaro and the area where it thrives.

[Andy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really good botanist / historical treatment of the giant saguaro cacti of the Sonoran desert in Southern Arizona. Helps in understanding how these unique plants came about.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the best book on the topic that I read. My favorite things in this book: the Tohono O'odham saguaro creation story (referred to in many books but not recounted) and the discussion of a comic book where the hero turns into a saguaro (his superpower? shooting spines).

[Brett Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't expecting much from this thin, glossy paperback, but as it turns out, it was a lovely read. Beautifully written, with excellent historic and current-day photographs and a wonderful sense of humor. A great find!