Saguaro

A child grows like the saguaro cacti that nourish the lives around him, knowing even the tallest cactus was once small, too.

Abuelo tells his grandson that as hard as it is to imagine, the saguaro cacti that tower over the family rancho were once tiny seeds in the ground. It takes half a century to grow one spiky arm, decades more for the flowers to bloom. It takes help from hummingbirds, coyotes and shady trees. 

The oldest saguaros have seen how children are like seeds, too. One day, the same cacti that saw Abuelo grow up will see his grandchild follow in his footsteps, and beyond. The seeds once planted will bear miraculous fruit. 

Pura Belpré Honoree Laekan Zea Kemp honors Chicane roots in this meditative story of family legacy and boundless potential. Vibrantly illustrated by Gaby D’Alessandro, Saguaro is as grounding and lovely as the flowering desert guardians themselves. 

Also available in Spanish.Laekan Zea Kemp is a writer living in Austin, Texas. She is the author of A Crown for Corina, Somewhere Between Bitter and Sweet, which was a 2022 Pura Belpré Honor Recipient, and several other novels. She has three objectives when it comes to storytelling: to make people laugh, cry, and crave Mexican food. Her work celebrates Chicane grit, resilience, creativity, and joy while exploring themes of identity and mental health.

Gaby D'Alessandro is a Dominican illustrator who enjoys creating dreamlike images filled with nature symbolism and attention to detail. A graduate of Parsons School of Design, she is the illustrator of The Cot in the Living Room by Hilda Eunice Burgos and Stolen Science by Ella Schwartz. Her clients include The New York Times, National Geographic Magazine, The American Museum of Natural History, and other major institutions. She splits her time between Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic and New York City.