Written by Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski
Age Range: 6-10
Hardcover: 80 pages
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (2019)
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3723-7
What to Expect: Natural History, Biology, Geology, Botany
We all know all about trees, right? Green leaves, brown trunk, found in forests. But how much do we really know? Do we know how many different species there are? Do we know where the tallest tree in the world can be found, or why some trees lose their leaves in the winter and others do not? How about where trees get their names from? These and other tree-related mysteries are explored in glorious, full-color detail in Trees: A Rooted History.
As is fitting for an exploration of such a large part of the vegetable kingdom, Trees is presented as an oversized, hard-cover volume with majestic trees spanning the height of each full-colored, double-spread illustration. This unusual format allows the writers to explore their subject matter in meticulous detail not only verbally but visually as well. One entry, on insects that camouflage themselves to look like tree-parts, for example, fills two pages with larger-than-life grasshoppers, stick insects, and mantises, each rendered delicately so that even the tiny hairs on the grasshoppers’ legs are visible. Encyclopedic entries cover everything from information on the rarest tree in the world to the lumberjack’s traditional trade, and the scientific names of the plants and animals depicted are also provided. This is not a book that talks down to young readers; instead, the combination of detailed and intriguing illustrations and comprehensive scientific content will provide a bridge for younger readers to access more complex ideas. This is a beautiful, fascinating volume that any young botanist will surely treasure.
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About the Authors
Piotr Socha studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. He has worked as an illustrator for many newspapers and magazines.
Wojciech Grajkowski has PhD in biology. He writes children’s books and biology textbooks as well as designs board games. He lives in Warsaw, Poland.
Trees: A Rooted History, by Piotr Socha and Wojciech Grajkowski, was reviewed by Dr. Jen Harrison. Discover more books like Trees: A Rooted History by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Biology, Natural History Books, and Trees.