Tree-rific Trees! Books for Kids

Crinkleroot's Guide to Knowing the Trees. Jim Arnosky. Bradbury Press, 1992. 40pp. ISBN 0-02-705855-7. C.I.P.
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Arnosky's book is the most attractive botany book for children that I have seen for some time. Its age appeal is broad: The illustrations will engage tots, while the scientific information, which is very compact, will attract older students. Not only does the author point out the value of living trees, but he describes the ecological importance of both dead standing trees and fallen ones. He shows how abiotic factors, such as the texture of soil and snow, influence tree morphology. Arnosky is a masterful illustrator and has important awards to document his prowess as an artist and a naturalist. This book is another winner. Children will be attracted to browse in it, but will stay on to study.

From Little Acorns: A First Look at the Life Cycle of a Tree. Sam Goodwin. (Illus. by Simone Abel; from the First Look: Science Series.) Picture Window Books, 2004. 32pp. ISBN 1-4048-0658-X. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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From Little Acorns is an excellent and entertaining resource for prekindergarten through first-grade students. Teachers can use this picture book to introduce concepts on change, cycles, growth, or seasons. The main character, an inquisitive young squirrel, keeps the story moving from acorn to tree. The mommy squirrel and the forest community do a fine job answering questions and adding information about the oak tree's life cycle. Godwin incorporates seasonal changes with the appropriate stage of life for the oak trees. The illustrator makes the characters enchanting for the target audience. The impression of watercolors adds to the depth of the illustrations and gives the characters a more lifelike appearance. After the story ends, Godwin has an awesome two-page illustration of the life cycle of the oak tree that can be used as a stand-alone resource.

If the Trees Could Talk. Stuart Kallen. (Illus. by Kristen Copham; from the Target Earth Series.) Adbo, 1993. 32pp. ISBN 1-56239-184-4. Glossary; C.I.P.
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The concept of a talking tree is quite interesting. How the tree has grown, and then how one near you might grow, too, if you plant a seed, is presented with color and a list of "eco-activities." The function of green plants, photosynthesis, and the many uses of trees are well presented with interesting drawings on every page and a small glossary of seven terms at the end. The book also mentions four places to write to or call for more information on forests, nature, and global ecology.

Leaves and Trees. Elaine Pascoe. (Photographs by Dwight Kuhn; from the Nature Close-Up Series.) Blackbirch, 2001. 48pp. ISBN 1567114741. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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Beautifully illustrated with photographs by Dwight Kuhn, this book by author Elaine Pascoe takes the reader on a gentle journey through the world of leaves and trees, akin to a walk in the woods with a teacher still fascinated by the wonders of the subject. Basic scientific terminology and concepts are presented in an easy style, with the photographs reinforcing the points made in the text. Use this lovely book to open your eyes to leaves and trees and create an awareness of them or to add knowledge to a budding sense of appreciation for the plant kingdom. Leaves and Trees is a beautiful little book providing a "through-the-keyhole" look into a world of wonder that is within the reach of everyone who opens the volume.

Life Cycle of a Tree. Bobbie Kalman and Kathryn Smithyman. (Illus. by Barbara Bedell; from the Life Cycles Series.) Crabtree, 2002. 32pp. ISBN 0-7787-0659-1. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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This well organized book is graphically busy, with its skewed photos, leaf borders, clip-art like images, and sidebars on nearly every page. The diagrams, however, are wonderful and will especially aid visual learners, while the well-sized, readable font, with difficult words defined and highlighted in bold, will appeal to young readers. A focus on the habitats and characteristics of trees precedes an explanation of the life cycle of trees, from seedling to mature tree. The scope remains brief, with only two pages devoted to each topic, but the explanations are thorough enough for their level of simplicity to be used by elementary school students in the classroom or for homework assignments.

My Favorite Tree: Terrific Trees of North America. Diane Iverson. (Illus. by the author; a Sharing Nature with Children book.) Dawn, 1999. 64pp. ISBN 1-883220-94-7. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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It is a pleasure to see a handsome book about trees. In it, the geographic areas within the United States enjoy wide coverage, and the book can encourage young students to pay attention to trees. The illustrations--especially the silhouettes of trees--are accurate and pleasing. The majority of the maps showing tree distributions are accurate. I encourage the author to write more children's books about trees.

My Mother Talks to Trees. Doris Gove. (Illus. by Marilynn H. Mallory.) Peachtree, 1999. 32pp. ISBN 1-561-45166-5. Glossary; C.I.P.
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The text and illustrations of this small book depict the characteristics of 11 common trees. Author Dorothy Gove weaves the characteristics into the narrative and dialogue of a story about a mother and daughter's walk home from school during which the mother talks to and checks each tree. Mallory's accurate, life-size illustrations of the trees' parts and her sensitive portrayal of the two characters bring the story to life. This book depicts a warm, caring relationship between mother and daughter. It shows a mother teaching her embarrassed, but enthralled, daughter how to appreciate and care for nature. The book could be used by children aged 6 through 10 as a general-awareness volume about trees. If I had young children, I would want it on my bookshelf.

Outside and Inside Trees. Sandra Markle. Bradbury Press, 1993. 32pp. ISBN 0-02-762313-0. Glossary; Index; C.I.P.
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This little book serves as an introduction to tree anatomy, physiology, and life history. It is very well illustrated with many color photos. The text is accurate and probably too technical for children under eight years old. However, the photos and a reader who also is an interpreter for the young will make even four-year-olds happy with this book. This book is well written by tree lovers. I also am a tree lover and believe this book can inspire young folks to join our club!

Science Project Ideas about Trees. Robert Gardner. (Illus.; from the Science Project Ideas Series.) Enslow, 1997. 96pp. ISBN 0-89490-846-4. Index; C.I.P.
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Following the pattern found in other volumes in this series, the author combines concise science instruction with suggestions for independent investigations about trees. The opening chapter presents a densely written review of tree biology that covers flowers and fruit, as well as stems and leaves. Chapter 2 explores the structure of woody stems, with projects that measure the height and girth of trees, their age when cut, and the relative density of their wood. Chapter 3 offers traditional leaf-collection activities, along with an estimation of the surface area of various leaves. Chapter 4 takes the reader through an examination of flowers, pollen, fruits, and germinating seeds. The final chapter deals with measuring tree growth and the length of branches. Overall, the text and student projects are largely descriptive and provide few illustrations of experimental procedures. This book provides an excellent springboard from a classroom study of plants to independent work, especially for children living in suburban or rural settings.

Starting with Nature Tree Book. Pamela Hickman. (Illus. by Heather Collins; from the Starting with Nature Series.) Kids Can Press, 1999. 32pp. ISBN 1-55074-485-2. Index; C.I.P.
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The author of this volume has written a book that will answer many questions children have about trees and will provide a number of insights into the biology of trees. These twin tasks are accomplished with a clearly written narrative, the inclusion of interesting facts, color illustrations that feature children from diverse cultural backgrounds, and several inquiry-based investigations. All of the investigations can be completed with readily available materials, and the "tree-watching checklist" is an excellent observational guide that can be used by elementary school teachers for a long-term study of trees near a school. The book includes information on forest regions in the United States, the importance and use of trees, endangered trees, and actions one can take to protect trees. It is appropriate for school or home use with middle and upper elementary-school-aged children.

Trees. Joy Richardson. (Illus.; from the Picture Science Series.) Franklin Watts, 1993. 32pp. ISBN 0-531-14273-6. Index; C.I.P.
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This is an appealing picture book that first follows trees through the seasons and then follows them through spreading seeds, sprouting, growing wood and bark, and being used for buildings, furniture, toys, and paper. These progressions are marked by headings on each page and are simple, logical introductions to tree biology. Each page of text faces beautiful full-color photographs. The book will provoke much examination of local trees and is a good way to introduce other botanic topics (e.g., photosynthesis, phloem and xylem, and systematics).

Trees Are Terrific! National Wildlife Federation. (Illus.; from the Ranger Rick's NatureScope Series.) Chelsea House, 1999. 94pp. ISBN 0-7910-4883-7. Index; C.I.P.
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This book is a terrific collection of activities pertaining to trees. It is ideal for anyone who wants to give elementary-school-aged children an understanding of, and appreciation for, trees. Before each group of activities appears, factual information is presented for the teacher (or parent, counselor, etc.) This information is clear, concise, complete, and yet not overwhelming. The dense appearance of the text (despite photos and illustrations) should not scare anyone--the book is appropriate regardless of the level of knowledge of the leader. The activities are grouped by content, yet each can stand alone. Many require careful observation, comparisons, and logical reasoning; some require library research; all require a close and appreciative look at trees.