The Tree Book will help you feel like less of an idiot when your kids ask you what kind of tree is out front. Or down the street.
Now that the weather has finally gotten lovely, we are walking a bit more slowly and paying more attention to the world around us. Which leads to the inevitable conversations about the various trees that grow on our block and in the playground and at my parents house, etc etc.
I have been coming up way short, in my role as mother/tree expert. I know cherry trees when they blossom, and I’m sure I can tell a pine from a maple, but that’s about all. I’d like to say it’s because I grew up in the city, but we have plenty of trees here, so maybe I should just say that I grew up with my eyes closed.
But they are open now, and the Brooklyn Botanical Garden’s Tree Book For Kids And Their Grown-ups is exactly what I need to help “teach” (aka learn at the same time but I am a faster reader and as such get to be the expert) my daughter all about the trees that are all around us, providing us with air and shade.
Get to know each tree through these lovely drawings.
The drawings are beautiful and comprehensive, so that we can really begin to be familiar with the leaves, seeds, flowers and even bark (see below) of various trees. I am looking forward to the day when I can walk around all knowingly pointing out various trees to groups of adoring children who have gathered round to soak up my wisdom.
At least now I have a place to start.
Learn to tell the difference between a Saucer Magnolia and a Weeping Willow just from the trunk!
You can buy the Tree Book on the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens website.
And you should.
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