Tag Archives: Trees

Elem. – I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log

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Podesta, Lena. I Am Not Boring: The True-Life Story of a Log. Ten Speed Young Readers, 2026. 978-0-593-83829-7. 40 p. $17.99. Grades K-2.

In this decidedly NOT boring book, a disgruntled narrator is at odds with a log as both tell the story of the log’s life. According to the narrator, the log just sits there. All the time. Doing nothing. But through interjections and dialogue–along with the expressive illustrations–the log has another story to tell.

THOUGHTS: Despite fairly sparse text, this lighthearted book begs to be read aloud! The conflict between the log and the narrator is sure to elicit laughs from young readers, particularly as they observe the log’s busy world through the artwork. Podesta’s illustrations are a delight, and she uses speech bubbles and different font styles to distinguish between the narrator and the log. Back matter includes additional information about the log’s life cycle and its various roles in the forest ecosystem, and an author’s note shares insight into Podesta’s inspiration for the story. At once informative, engaging, and humorous!

Picture Book
582 Trees

Elem. – Ready, Set, Grow – Plants

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Ruby, Rex. Ready, Set, Grow: Plants. Bearport Publishing, 2025. $21.02 each. $126.12 set of 6. 24 p. Grades 2-5.

An Apple Grows. 979-8-892-32722-0.
A Coconut Grows. 979-8-892-32723-7.
A Cranberry Grows. 979-8-892-32724-4.
An Oak Tree Grows. 979-8-892-32725-1.
A Pumpkin Grows. 979-8-892-32726-8.
A Sunflower Grows. 979-8-892-32727-5. 

In An Apple Grows the book follows the apple from the time it’s a small seed, until it turns into the fruit that we know and eat. The book goes over the steps in simple sentences, and uses bright, colorful pictures to explain the different stages in growing an apple. There is a table of contents as well as a glossary found within each book. There are apple facts found at the end of the book, and there is a short list of recommended reading as well. 

THOUGHTS: This series would be a great introduction to nonfiction for any reader, or would be useful for an introduction to different kinds of foods/plants. 

634 Orchards, fruits, forestry

Elem. – The Everything Trail

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Fleming, Meg. The Everything Trail. Illustrated by Chuck Groenink. Beach Lane Books, 2025. 978-1-665-92487-0. 32 p. $19.99. Grades PreK-3.

What do you see on a romp through the forest? Take an adventure through the trees, rocks, and saplings from the mountains to the sea in this rhyming introduction to everything that a young explorer can find while on a forest trail. 

THOUGHTS: Through a clever rhyming scheme that flows well, the reader is taken through a (primarily west coast) forest and interacts with all of the wonderful things one can find along a nature trail including birds, rocks, waterfalls, insects, and slugs. The text also provides a reminder of how small we are among the biggest trees and how nature, in and of itself, is the world’s best playground. Read this to the younger students who’d like an introduction to what magic the forest can offer. 

Picture Book

Elem. – My Towering Tree

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Matthies, Janna. My Towering Tree. Illustrated by Ashley Wolff. Beach Lane Books, 2024. 978-1-665-91193-1. 32 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

This cumulative poem is an ode to the simple pleasures of sitting under the branches of a tall tree and enjoying quiet time with nature. The story begins with a young girl swinging under a backyard tree. She admires the tree’s height and leaves, and she notices the many creatures that call it home, including squirrels, bees, and robins. The girl jots observations and drawings in a notebook, tracking how tomatoes grow in a nearby bed pollinated by buzzing bees. She’s tickled by the gentle breeze and warm rays of sunshine, inspiring readers to appreciate the gifts nature shares with us each day. Readers will enjoy lingering over the colorful gouache and pan pastel illustrations that highlight the bustling backyard. Careful readers will note how the yard changes over time, including a nest of hatching robin eggs and other birds that make their home in the tree’s tall limbs. 

THOUGHTS: The repetitive text and simple rhymes make this a solid choice for reading aloud. It will be a relatable addition for Earth Day, Arbor Day, or spring storytimes. It will also fit well with lessons focused on mindfulness or self-reflection. 

Picture Book

MG – Telephone of the Tree

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McGhee, Alison. Telephone of the Tree. Rocky Pond Books, 2024. 978-0-593-69845-7. 201 p. $17.99. Grades 4-8.

A poignant story of Ayla and her best friend Kiri. Both girls have grown up on the same street where every birth and every death is marked by planting a tree. Ayla has a birch tree outside her house that honors her birth while Kiri has a pine tree. After a tragic accident on the street, a tiny birch tree is planted next to Kiri’s pine tree. Ayla is convinced that Kiri will be back to celebrate her birthday and spends her days waiting for her return. One morning Kiri discovers that an old-school telephone has appeared in her tree, and the mystery of the telephone helps lead Ayla on to the path of healing. 

THOUGHTS: This story will stay with the reader for a long time. It is a story of a young girl as she processes the unexpected death of her best friend.

Realistic Fiction

Elem./MG – The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World

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Boxer, Elisa. The Tree of Life: How a Holocaust Sapling Inspired the World. Rocky Pond Books, 2024. 978-0-593-61712-0. $18.99. 40 p. Grades 5-8.

During WWII Irma Lauscher taught the children of Terezin ghetto encampment to read and write and to celebrate Jewish holidays. In preparation for Tu BiShvat (The New Year of the Trees) Irma asked a fellow prisoner to sneak a sapling into the camp. The children of the camp cared for the maple sapling, each watering it with a drop of their water ration every day. Through the heroic efforts of Lauscher and the many children who passed through Terezin, the tree survived and grew. When Terezin was liberated, the tree became a symbol of hope. Lauscher also survived the Holocaust. She gathered seeds from the original tree and propagated seedlings which were planted world-wide in memory of the children of Terezin. In 2007 the original tree succumbed to heavy flooding, but by this point the maple had over 600 descendants throughout the world. Planted at museums, schools, and Jewish cultural centers, each descendant tree has continued to be cultivated and shared as a symbol of survival.

THOUGHTS: This is a beautifully told story. Though the imagery does include scenes of children being held captive at Terezin as well as depictions of Hitler and swastikas, the narrative is simple and gentle in its message of hope. The story is beautifully illustrated by Alianna Rozentsveig. Endnotes include a deeper explanation of the Holocaust, Terezin, and the bravery of Irma Lauscher as well as sources for further investigation. An excellent choice for elementary and middle school libraries.

Picture Book
940.53  Holocaust

Elem. – Before We Stood Tall

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Kulekjian, Jessica. Before We Stood Tall. Kids Can, 2021. 978-1-525-30324-1. Unpaged. 19.99. Grades K-3.

Youngsters are sure to gravitate to this lovely picture book that presents a new spin on how a tree grows. Rather than show how an acorn becomes a mighty tree, Kulekjian reverses the process. Slowly, her impactful prose, paired with soft watercolor art by Madeline Kloepper, traces the mighty trees in the forest back to seeds in the earth. But the story doesn’t end there. Kulekjian explains mysteries of the earth itself and the root structure of trees and plants. What child won’t be delighted to learn plants are communicating underground? The earth-toned artwork comes alive below ground, with a plethora of creatures, mammal and insect, inhabiting what a child might consider boring dirt. Bones, rocks, and fossils fill the ground, along with roots and plant detritus, inviting images a young reader will need to explore thoroughly. While the text is sparse, each word is obviously chosen with care, conveying scientific concepts in beautiful, child-friendly terms.

THOUGHTS: The book is lovely in both word and images and will be a welcome addition to any picture book collection.

Picture Book          Nancy Nadig, Penn Manor SD

Elem. – The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest

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Lang, Heather. The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest. Calkins Creek, 2021. 978-1-68437-177-8. Unpaged. $18.99 Grades 2-5.

From childhood Meg was always interested in nature, opting to spend time outside studying plants. As an adult she moved from her Elmira, New York hometown to Australia where she pioneered rainforest studies. In 1979, she invented a slingshot harness allowing her to study trees from the canopy of branches sitting up to one hundred and fifty feet tall. From dizzying heights Meg studied the rainforest in ways scientists had not previously attempted prior to her invention. Nearly a decade later, Meg was instrumental in developing plans for the first canopy walkway making rainforest ecology accessible to more people and fostering an understanding of its importance to Australian citizens. In her quest to learn even more about rainforests,  Meg joined a team in Cameroon who launched a hot air balloon permitting the scientists a view from the top of the canopy. It was here that Meg realized conservation as her next calling. She began traveling the world, pioneering conservation preservation projects in Cameroon, Western Samoa, and Ethiopia. Mesmerizing full color digital illustrations saturate every page with rainforest scenery. Animals, plants, trees, insects and birds emphasize the biodiversity of the rainforest. Leaf-shaped text boxes nearly blend into the scenery, rewarding a close reading with  additional facts about the rainforest.

577.34 Rain Forest Ecology          Jackie Fulton, Mt. Lebanon SD
Biography
Picture Book

Elem. – Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey

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Kelly, Erin Entrada. Maybe Maybe Marisol Rainey. Greenwillow Books, 2021. 978-0-062-97042-8. $16.99. 160 p. Grades 3-6.

Newbery Award winning author, Erin Entrada Kelly, delivers the first in a new series with character Marisol Rainey. Marisol is a Filipino American living in Louisiana with her family. She and her best friend Jade are enjoying the start to the summer vacation by playing lots of games, using their imagination to create their own fun, and climbing the tree in Marisol’s backyard. Except, Marisol is petrified to climb the tree. Not being brave enough to climb the tree in her backyard is just one of Marisol’s many fears. There are plentiful illustrations throughout the book, drawn by Kelly herself.

THOUGHTS: This engaging book has everything a popular series needs to be a hit with readers. Marisol’s anxieties make her very relatable and the humor laced through Kelly’s writing will entertain even the most reluctant readers.

Realistic Fiction          Krista Fitzpatrick, PSLA Member

Elem. – The Leaf Thief

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Hemming, Alice. The Leaf Thief. 1st American ed., Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, 2021. 978-1-728-23520-2. 32 p. $17.99. Grades K-3.

Squirrel is contently lounging in his tree watching the sun shine through the colorful autumn leaves when he suddenly realizes one of his leaves is missing. He immediately enlists Bird’s help tracking down his missing leaf. He questions Mouse to no avail. The next day, he notices that more leaves are missing! He accuses Woodpecker and even Bird of stealing his leaves, but he soon discovers that there may be another explanation to his missing leaves. A humorous story sure to delight young readers, this would be an excellent choice for a fall read aloud.

THOUGHTS: Endnotes in the book explain some of the science behind the arrival of autumn, making this the perfect introduction to life cycles and the changing seasons. As an added bonus, Squirrel’s exaggerated actions and expressions make for a comical story that is sure to grab the interest of elementary students. This is a solid choice for elementary science collections.

Picture Book          Julie Ritter, PSLA Member