The Night Flower: The Blooming of the Saguaro Cactus

K-Gr 2--Hawthorne makes her nonfiction debut with this beautifully illustrated introduction to the saguaro cactus. Covering 24 hours in the Sonoran desert, the book's pages are principally filled with depictions of the flora and fauna in the desert, while rhyming quatrains provide a lively description of the activity that can be found in the habitat. The text and renderings at the beginning of the book demonstrate the central role saguaros play in Southwestern America's diurnal wildlife: providing food, water, and shelter for the many animals Hawthorne showcases. When night finally falls, nocturnal pollinators flock to the saguaro as its magnificent flower blooms by moonlight. The text is as informative as it is lyrical; however, the real attraction here is the illustrations. The clean lines and minimalist style lend themselves particularly well to the starkness of a desert landscape, while including enough detail in the animal renderings to ensure scientific accuracy. Five pages of illustrated back matter include the parts and life cycle of a saguaro, trivia on various desert animals, and a glossary of biology and botany terms used throughout. VERDICT With its rhyming text and stylized illustrations, this wonderful read-aloud possibility for an elementary school science unit will fascinate readers while conveying the importance of the saguaro in the desert ecosystem.--Katherine Barr, Cameron Village Regional Library, Raleigh, NC

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Hawthorne's clean, elegant watercolor illustrations depict in striking detail a variety of flora and fauna, including the grasshopper mouse, which can stand on its hind legs and howl; the Gila woodpecker, which nests inside the cactus; a variety of insects; and the lesser long-nosed bat. The illustrations effectively convey the drama of the big-sky terrain and anticipation of the night flowering...A lightly done but compelling explanation of symbiosis among environment, animals, and plants that will appeal to science and visual arts enthusiasts alike.
—Kirkus Reviews

Beautifully, delicately illustrated pages bring the desert and its plants and animals to life in this nonfiction picture book told in clever and informative rhyming text...A great addition to children's nonfiction picture-book collections.
—Booklist

Hawthorne makes her nonfiction debut with this beautifully illustrated introduction to the saguaro cactus...With its rhyming text and stylized illustrations, this wonderful read-aloud possibility for an elementary school science unit will fascinate readers while conveying the importance of the saguaro in the desert ecosystem.
—School Library Journal