Bound To Stay Bound

School Library Journal - 03/01/2024 Gr 1–3—Were it not for the "Cactus Queen" Minerva Hoyt, the Joshua Tree National Park in California might never have existed. Hoyt, born in Mississippi before the turn of the last century, grew up to become an avid gardener, and moved to the Los Angeles area in the 1920s, just as the city was coming into its own. Hoyt often traveled to the Mojave Desert where she learned to appreciate the sparse desert landscape, especially the native Joshua trees. She noted with alarm how many of these unusual plants were being destroyed or uprooted, some for use in early Hollywood movie sets, and sought protection for the area by waging a one-woman campaign to bring attention to it. To convince people that the desert teemed with wildlife and interesting flora, she set up fabulous natural tableaux in cities. That fight eventually led to the establishment of the new national park. Bright desert hues fill illustrations in gouache and colored pencil that perfectly complement the upbeat text which is scattered with quotes from Hoyt's writings and speeches. This is a fascinating look into the life of a little-known environmental hero. Back matter includes additional information about Hoyt and wildlife in Joshua Tree National Park, photos of Joshua trees, a list of national parks in the U.S., an author's note, tips for environmental activists, and a selected bibliography. VERDICT A lively picture book biography with tie-ins to Earth Day and Women's History Month. Highly recommended.—Sue Morgan - Copyright 2024 Publishers Weekly, Library Journal and/or School Library Journal used with permission.

Booklist - 03/01/2024 In this tribute to the power of gentle but persistent persuasion, Alexander chronicles the efforts of a Pasadena socialite to preserve the desert she had come to love. Seeing the Mojave being despoiled by Angelenos heedlessly carting off Joshua trees and other rare flora for their yards, Minerva Hoyt responded by raising general interest with exotic displays at the 1928 International Flower Show and other exhibitions and by working her way into the White House to enlist support for a huge national monument—finally created in 1936 and established as a national park in 1994. Along with further biographical details, the author closes by tallying some of the designated reserve’s distinctive wildlife and sharing observations about how the fragile desert ecosystem is still under threat. In Ely’s group scenes of period garden party guests and visiting students, Hoyt’s slim, smiling, neatly clad figure stands out, looking equally comfortable and confident sharing photo albums with FDR in the Oval Office, camping out amid cacti as coyotes howl, or leaning down for a close look at a live scorpion. - Copyright 2024 Booklist.