The night flower - Lara Hawthorne

As the summer sun sets over the Arizonan desert, wildlife gathers to witness a very special annual event. The night flower is about to bloom. This celebration transforms the quiet desert for just a short few hours into a riot of colour and sound, as mammals and insects congregate from miles away to take part in this miracle of nature. From pollinating fruit bats to howling mice and reptilian monsters, explore the unusual wildlife the desert has to offer in this beautiful rhyming non-fiction picture book.

Lara Hawthorne graduated from Falmouth University in 2013. Her first picture book, Herb, was published in 2014 and she was selected to illustrate Carol Ann Duffy's The King of Christmas (Picador, 2016). Inspired by nature, myths and legends, Lara creates wonderful small worlds with her distinct watercolour style. She currently lives in Bristol, UK.

In this unique tale, where wildlife gather to witness a truly special annual event in the Arizona desert, we the reader, are invited to share in such a notable occasion.
As the sun sets that evening, the desert flower begins to bloom for just one night each year...
An overwhelming celebration of the union of nature, this one-off yearly event brings insects and mammals from far and wide to watch in awe as the desert flower awakens.
Exquisitely illustrated by Lara Hawthorne, this book based on the Saguaro cactus in the Sonoran desert is a real-life, natural world phenomenon.
The deafening silence of the desert is overtaken for just a few fleeting moments, by a cacophony of sound and colour as the congregation assemble.
From howling mice and burrowing owls, to scaled lizards and plodding tortoise, a diverse range of animals join this annual party.
Lara Hawthorne has captured this unusual ceremony in all its glory with a fresh illustrative style and vibrantly unfurling spreads.
The pomp and circumstance that accompanies such a one-off event is encapsulated in Hawthorne's delicate illustrations.
Using rich earthy tones, coupled with splashes of vibrant pinks and oranges, this is bound to appeal to a younger audience and at the same time portraying this unique real-life event.
We couldn't resist adding a picture of the beautiful endpapers.
Picture Books Blogger

Witness one of nature's most spectacular miracles in an exquisitely illustrated picture book from fresh new talent Lara Hawthorne. Inspired by nature, myths and legends, Hawthorne is noted for creating wonderful small worlds with her distinct watercolour style and here she brings to glorious life an amazing desert flower that blooms for just one night a year. Based on the Saguaro cactus in the Sonoran desert in Arizona, this is a magical real-life, rhyming tale straight out of the natural world. The Saguaro only blooms for a single night once a year but its strong scent and brilliant white petals attract rare pollinators, including bats, moths and doves. Youngsters can follow the unfolding of this memorable night as the summer sun sets over the Arizonan desert and wildlife gathers to witness a very special annual event. The night flower is about to bloom. Watch in wonder as the quiet desert is transformed for just a short few hours into a riot of colour and sound, and mammals and insects congregate from miles away to take part in this miracle of nature. From pollinating fruit bats to howling mice and reptilian monsters, young readers can explore the unusual wildlife the desert has to offer and then turn to the end of the book to enjoy a 'Did you spot' section in which they are invited to seek out some of Saguaro's desert friends in the wonderful gallery of illustrations. The gentle, lyrical, rhyming story, coupled with beautifully detailed illustrations, create a visual feast of nature's wonders that will appeal to both children and adults alike.
Lancashire Evening Post - Pam Norfolk

What a beautiful cover! Gold foiling and captivating illustrations have the reader eager to see what is inside. Just once a year, for one night, the night flower blooms - so it's a very special event. As the summer sun sets over the Arizonan desert, wildlife gathers to witness this event which we can follow through the lyrical rhyming text and stunningly detailed and intricate illustrations. The desert is transformed for just a short few hours and this lovely book celebrates and captures the wonders. There are pollinating fruit bats to howling mice and reptilian monsters to be spotted. Beautiful.
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