And so poet and naturalist Kathleen Cain fell in love with the cottonwood tree. Regarded by many as a nuisance, a "trash tree," the cottonwood not only has a fascinating history, it has served noble purposes as well. Ranging from Vermont to Arizona to Alaska, this native North American tree, in various sizes, shapes, and subspecies, has been a sacred symbol, a shelter providing relief from both heat and cold, a signpost for the lost and weary-and underneath its branches many dreams have been born. In a magical blend of art and science, the author looks not only at the cottonwood-how it grows, how it travels, and what it says-but at the roles it has played and continues to play in the art, health, and history of North America. If you need the science, you will find it here-if you need the human heart, you will find it here as well. "Champion" means winner, defender, something outstanding-a hero. After reading The Cottonwood Tree: An American Champion you will see why this remarkable tree stands so tall in the American landscape. Book jacket.

The story of a cottonwood tree growing on the Great Plains, and its contributions to the history of the Southwest.

Chock-full of unbelievable stories, Me and the Cottonwood Tree will enchant readers with the hilarious misadventures of young Herb growing up during some of the most pivotal times in America. From getting stuck in the family outhouse, to buying a donkey as a pet, to creating a giant fireball out of burning Christmas trees, you'll be taken along for a wild ride full of hysterical stories of Herb growing up through some of America's most influential moments in history. Set in Arizona and California from 1933 to 1950, this is the story of one boy's untethered childhood. Herb Bryce grew up as part of a large Mormon family, moving frequently from town to town and house to house. In each new home, Herb learns valuable lessons...and often gets into heaps of mischief along the way. Jump back to a time when kids were given freedom not often allowed to children today--roaming fields and forests, having adventures, and learning about how to create adventure right outside your door.

How could they turn it down? Johanna and Daniel Keane know that nothing whatsoever could ease the loss they're feeling from the second of two miscarriages. Then, at an antique shop, they chance upon an exquisitely crafted highboy. It's something else to think about, at the very least. And when the cabinet's manic builder offers it for a fraction of its apparent worth, the Keanes snatch it up as a bargain. When the highboy arrives at their home, however, it brings something else besides grandeur. Visitors witness terrifying scenes. Deaths occur without explanation. And slowly, the highboy manages to ravage the very lives of Johanna, Daniel and their sixteen-year old son, Randall-where they're most vulnerable. As answers to its origins emerge, the highboy begins to further mutate: into an instrument of dark vengeance borne of a centuries-old curse. Too late, the Keanes come to realize what is at stake. But is it too late to save their family from an evil as old as creation?

Katie and Francisco, two children who love trees, meet under a huge cottonwood in a meadow. They discover that each of them can hear trees with their hearts. They discover how wise the cottonwood is. They hear its loving message about what to do when they are bullied. The tree teaches them to stay focused so they won’t daydream in school, and they find ways to help the cottonwood stay healthy.

One of the West's most eloquent photographers shares his favorite images and his stories of how they came to be.