Cactus Queen:Minerva Hoyt Establishes Joshua Tree National Park

Description

How did the Joshua Tree National Park in California come to be? Meet Minerva Hamilton Hoyt, an artist, activist, and environmentalist, whose determination saved the desert and helped to create the park, in this STEAM picture book.

Long before she became known as the Cactus Queen, Minerva Hamilton Hoyt found solace in the unexpected beauty of the Mojave Desert in California. She loved the jackrabbits and coyotes, the prickly cacti, and especially the weird, spiky Joshua trees.

However, in the 1920s, hardly anyone else felt the same way. The desert was being thoughtlessly destroyed by anyone and everyone. Minerva knew she needed to bring attention to the problem. With the help of her gardening club, taxidermists, and friends, she took the desert east and put its plants and animals on display. The displays were a hit, but Minerva needed to do much more: she wanted to have the desert recognized as a national park. Although she met with President Franklin D. Roosevelt and won him over, Minerva still had to persuade politicians, scientists, teachers, and others to support her cause. And, it worked! Minerva’s efforts led to what came to be known as Joshua Tree National Park in California, and saved hundreds of thousands of plants and animals. Now, the millions of people who visit each year have learned to love the desert, just as Minerva did.

About the Author

Emma Bland Smith thinks the best thing about writing books is getting to visit lots of cool places for research--like Alcatraz. She is a public librarian, a book blogger, and the author of many children's books, including Journey: Based on the True Story of OR7, the Most Famous Wolf in the West.

Jenn Ely loves a well-told story. She works on animated projects for film and television and illustrates books, such as If You Were a Kid Building a Pyramid. Jenn believes in trying things that might not work because that's what makes you grow. www.jennely.com @elyjenna