STEM in Graphic Novels

Picture books depend on the combination of text and illustration to tell the story. You know what else does that? Graphic novels. Today I’m exploring two recently published books that combine science and art.

theme: STEM, comics, art

Fiddlehead Forest (Little Habitats, 2) 

by Jana Curll 

92 pages ; ages 6-9

Greystone Kids, 2026

When a tree falls in the forest…

does anyone hear it? The answer depends on your definition of “anyone” – but in this case, the answer is definitively YES. Fern and friends not only hear their tree fall, but they are determined to help raise it back to its previous – and grand – height. Even if it takes (checks calendar) a few years. After trying a few things, Millipede, Moth, Slug, Lichen, Mushroom, and Fern decide on their plan of action: hang out with tree and do nothing. Well, nothing except what they normally do every day.

What I like about this book: I love that the story begins the minute you open the cover. That’s where we meet the characters, when Fern does a roll call to make sure his best buddies are safe after the storm. 

I like the puns that run throughout the book, from the table of contents (chapter four: Aiming for slug-cess) to mushrooms im-spore-tant information. Each chapter focuses on how one of the characters helps tree to find their new growth as a nurse log. Detailed sidebars in each chapter clarify the science that’s going on – often beneath the surface and out of sight. For example: mushroom’s underground mycelium network and slug’s recycling superpowers. 

Fiddlehead Forest is book two in a series that began with Barnacle Bay. That book opens with Crab, who is SO tired of every day being the same old thing. On his way out, he runs into Larva, who is floating in on the tide. Crab, who really does have a kind heart, agrees to show Larva around the neighborhood, and introduce him to the other residents: kelp, oysters, mussels and clams… the writing is just as playful (and pun-full) as Fiddlehead Forest.

We Are Dwarf Sperm Whales!: A Graphic Guide to Cetaceans 

by Anne Lambelet 

80 pages; ages 7-11

Graphic Universe/Lerner, 2026

It’s the first day of school for Kogi, but he’s not headed for the school of fish. Kogi is a sperm whale, in the class of Cetaceans which aren’t fish at all! They don’t have scales, and they don’t lay eggs. But whales can grow to enormous lengths. Except dwarf sperm whales. And whales sing long songs heard for miles beneath the ocean. Except for dwarf sperm whales. And some whales can swim as fast as 20 miles per hour! Except for …

yeah, you guessed it, dwarf sperm whales. Is there anything that Kogi can possibly be good at? 

What I like about this book: I love that Kogi eventually learns what his dwarf sperm whale superpowers are, because I was starting to worry about the little guy. Well, OK, not so little (average length is 9 feet). The pages are filled with cetacean info, and there’s a Very Helpful Glossary at the back of the book.

Some observations about STEM graphic novels and graphic nonfiction:

The books I’m sharing today are fiction because they have characters, and because in the real world fiddlehead ferns don’t talk (neither do dwarf sperm whales). But there are nonfiction graphic books – and here’s the thing: in our library they are cataloged JNF as though they are all graphic novels. So next time you’re looking for an informational book about science or history, or perhaps about a person or a place, remember that  nonfiction options exist on the graphic novel shelves.

Why give your kid a graphic novel?

• Graphic books help readers develop visual literacy. That’s the ability to understand and interpret nonverbal imagery – a skill that’s becoming increasingly vital in our information age.
• Graphic books help make complex ideas easier to understand with addition of visual elements and dialog.
• Also, illustrations add context clues that aid comprehension, so a graphic book can be more approachable than traditional texts for people with diverse learning styles.
• Graphic nonfiction is a fun – and fast – way to explore a new topic.

Beyond the Books:

Do you have a favorite animal or plant? Or maybe a rock or mushroom? Draw them as a character.

Create a comic strip where your character introduces us to where they live.

Make some silly puns about plants or animals that live in your yard or neighborhood. For example, there’s a couple ferns living in my garden. They’re close fronds with the poppies.

Turn your pun into a comic!

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website.  On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ a tree museum

 Last week a friend invited us to stroll through the Arnold Arboretum. It's Harvard University's "tree museum" and botanical research facility, and filled with birds and blooms that change with the season. In early April, our friend warned, we shouldn't expect to see a lot of flowers. Because it's still cold (indeed, it snowed for a few minutes that morning) and spring was still trying to wake up! But here, enough talk - come with us for a short walk...

Many of the trees in bloom were from China, Japan, South Korea - places where flowers are adapted to chilly spring weather. But, as we discovered, there's more to trees than their blossoms... 

Bark has wonderful texture, as do the sweetgum seedpods and the mosses and lichens growing on tree limbs.

Even so, the maples and magnolias were blooming (though the magnolias looked the worse for wear!)

And then, of course I just couldn't resist this splash of yellow!

This week, notice the trees where you walk.

WANTED: Trees - Dead or Alive!

Look at this - two books about trees, both published by Millbrook Press this month. One about a living tree, one about a dead tree, but with one thing in common: each supports a diverse community of living things.  

themes: trees, ecology, habitat

Whose Tree Is This? Poems About the Mighty Oak and Its Companions 

by Marilyn Singer; illus. by Julian Plum 

32 pages; ages 5-9

Millbrook Press, 2026

Whose tree is this? Reaching high, spreading wide…

It is an oak tree, gracious and spacious with acorns for eating, nooks for nests, and room for guests. Each spread introduces an animal, from insect to bird to bear to people that depends on the tree in some way. For some it is food, for others it is shelter, and for others it is both.

What I like about this book: Each poem is written from the perspective of the animal on the tree, accompanied by additional text that explains more about that animal. It’s fun to think about an oak from the point of view of a caterpillar munching its leaves! 

Detailed illustrations entice kids (and adults) to spend time studying the diversity of life on the tree, and the added information will encourage curious kids to go outside and see what they can find on and around a tree. I like that at the end, the tree notes that “we flourish when we form a community, when we live in unity together.” Back matter includes information om the oak tree life cycle, how to recognize an oak, and why we need them

What Good Is a Dead Tree: A Science Mystery 

words and photos by Doug Wechsler 

40 pages; ages 9-14

Millbrook Press, 2026

A mighty oak has fallen in the forest. But fifty years later, the only evidence that it was there is a dark mark on the forest floor. 

Your challenge, as a scientist, is to discover what happened to the tree and where it went. Author and photographer, Doug Wechsler provides lots of clues through photos of an oak undergoing decomposition decade by decade. The book begins with ... butt rot!

Chapter by chapter, year by year, readers discover what happens to the fallen oak. There are springtails and beetles, jellydiscs and fairy cups, carpenter ants and farting termites… all contributing to the eventual disappearance of the tree. Sidebars provide details about insects, bacteria, and slime molds. Photos show the culprits – er, decomposers in action. And back matter offers two hands-on investigations as well as links to videos. Doug Wechsler is an amazing naturalist, and reading this book is the next best thing to going on a walk in the woods with him. I know because I’ve had the pleasure of going on a nature walk with him.

Beyond the Books:

Get to know an oak tree. Spend some time watching it over the summer, and even through the fall and winter. What insects, birds, and other animals do you notice in your tree? If you need help identifying an oak tree, use a tree guide or check out this quick guide from wikihow.

If you are lucky enough to have a fallen tree nearby, take a good look at it. What do you see? Draw pictures of interesting fungi, plants, insects and other animals using the log. Sometimes, fungi will fruit when you least expect it. I found the coolest fungi on my dead tree during a warm break one January!

Check out the leaf litter beneath your oak tree. What do you find living there? Depending on the season, you might find springtails, beetle larvae, sleeping caterpillars, butterfly pupae, and maybe some cool fungi. Draw pictures of what you discover.

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. 

On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copies provided by the publisher.

Explore Outdoors ~ First Spring Rain

 Spring officially started this past weekend, and I've been waiting for sunshine and warmer weather for so long! So of course, it rained. And so, of course, I went walking outside between showers  ... 

What do you see when you go outside after rain?

Explore Outdoors ~ the last acorn

 

While walking around a park in Salt Lake City a couple weeks ago, I noticed all the scrubby oaks had empty acorn caps attached at the ends of the twigs. It makes sense - jays and other animals would have snacked on the yummy nuts all winter.

 

But why did the acorns fall without their caps on?

 

 

The oaks are getting ready for spring, even as this particular tree holds onto a few leaves and this one last acorn.

 

 

 

This week as you walk around your neighborhood, look at the trees. Are any of them still holding tight to last year's leaves or nuts?  

Explore Outdoors ~ Three Ways of Looking at a Tree

 This week take your camera or a sketch pad outdoors with you and spend a few moments looking at trees. It should be a bit warmer, so you can actually spend some time observing things in nature!

Look at a tree from a distance.

What do you notice about its shape?

What do you notice about the way its branches come off the trunk?

Get closer.

What do you notice about the bark?

About the twigs?

About buds?

What do you notice about tree shadows?

Going nuts for books about acorns and their trees

Themes: trees, growth, nature … and, of course, acorns!

Back in 2020, author Barbara Ciletti and illustrator Cathy Morrison teamed up on The Tiny Giant, a story about how tiny acorns grow into mighty oaks. Now they’ve got a board book coming out in a couple weeks – with text beautifully revised to perfectly suit this new format. 

The Tiniest Giant (board book)

by Barbara Ciletti; illus. by Cathy Morrison 

20 pages; ages baby-3 years

‎Schiffer Kids, 2025 

Greatness begins in the tiniest places.

It always amazes me that seeds contain within them entire plants. I mean … pumpkins! And trees! This summer I watched acorns form on the oak shading our driveway and they start of so small – just a bunch of buttons hanging onto a twig. And I ask the same thing Barbara does in her book, “Is there a tree inside?”

What I like about this book: I like how the simple, yet not simplistic, text works with the illustrations to show the seasons of an oak tree’s life. The acorns ripen, and then “Seeds drop.” Simple language, right? But using the word “seed” for acorn helps build the expectation of future growth. Illustrations show the acorn sinking beneath the snow and, in the spring, germinating into a sturdy seedling. 

Oh, and do you notice anything about this first spread? If you said "book turn," you're right. You have to turn the book so you get this nice verticality of the tall, tall oak tree. Review copy provided by the publisher.

 

Mighty: The Story of an Oak Tree Ecosystem 

by Henry Cole 

48 pages; ages 4-8

‎Peachtree, 2025 

Sometimes things happen by chance. A blue jay drops an acorn, and a tree’s life begins.

With luck, and enough sunlight and rain, that acorn germinates and grows into a seedling. A year later it has become a sapling. Over the years, the tree grows taller and provides nesting spots for birds. The leaves provide food for caterpillars which, in turn, provide food for songbirds. When they die and fall to earth, the leaves provide food for worms and other decomposers. Over time, people move into the area and what was once a forest becomes a town. Still the oak thrives.

What I like about this book: It seems such a simple thing, an acorn growing into an oak. But as the tree grows and ages, Henry Cole’s detailed black-and-white illustrations show the important role it plays in the ecological community around it. I like that Cole provides information visually, for those who want to look more carefully at details. At the back, he shows how to build an ecosystem in four easy steps. Cole writes and draws with the authority of someone who has studied trees and forests. Review copy provided by the publisher.

Looking for some fun fall read-alouds? Here are a couple more acorn-related stories that I found at my library:  

Acorn Was a Little Wild 

by Jen Arena; illustrated by Jessica Gibson 

‎Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2022

Imagine an acorn – the first of his generation – leaping from the tree and heading off for a wild adventure. There are ferocious animals! Raging streams! Dark places…. but eventually, like every wild child, acorn puts down roots.

The Nut That Fell from the Tree 

by Sangeeta Bhadra; illustrated by France Cormier 

Kids Can Press, 2020

You can tell from the title that this is a cumulative tale infused with the rhythm and rhyme of the House that Jack Built. It begins with a treehouse where Jill plays … a tiny house tucked into the branches of an oak, from which an acorn drops and – I’m going to let you imagine the possibilities, but seriously, check it out and read it because it’s plain fun.

Beyond the Books:

Make some handprint acorns. Even one-year-olds will get into painting their hands and making a print! Here's how. 

Use mini-cookies and chocolate kisses to make edible acorns (this recipe uses peanut butter cookies – but for those of us with allergies we can find non-peanut alternatives!)

For older people: make a whistle using an acorn cap. I have yet to master this! Here's how.

Plant an acorn (or two or three) in a pot and leave it outside or on an unheated porch all winter. You might get a baby oak sprouting in the spring!

Get to know an oak tree. Collect some leaves and make some leaf prints. Do bark rubbing. Lay down underneath it and look up – what do you notice?

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher. Picture books from my local library.

This Tree Needs Fire to Survive!

 

Pine Cone Regrown: How One Species Thrives After Fire 

by Elisa Boxer; illus. by  Kevin and Kristen Howdeshell 

32 pages; ages 5-8

Sleeping Bear Press, 2025 

theme: forest, ecology, trees

Nestled in the needles, seeds sealed inside, the pine cone hangs high out of harm’s way…

For those of us who grew up with Smokey Bear and posters reminding us that Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires, the idea that forest fires are necessary comes with a bit of trepidation. Fires destroy so much: animal homes, timber, wildlife food sources… and often the wildlife themselves. But some trees require fire.

In this book, Elisa Boxer introduces readers to lodgepole pines, one of the serotinous trees that can only produce new seedlings when their cones burst open from the heat of flame. Once the flames clear the canopy, the seeds fall down onto soil filled with nutrients from the ash and begin to germinate. Over time, the forest renews itself.

What I like about this book: I like how Elisa uses lyrical prose to bring us into what could be a scary story. I like the way she shows how fire is integrated into forest ecology. Not only do certain trees require heat to germinate their seeds, but other plants and fungi require fire to thrive. I like the back matter! Elisa reaffirms that fires are destructive and come at an environmental and health cost. At the same time, she points out that fire has always been part of a healthy forest ecosystem. 

Beyond the Books:

Find out more about how trees have adapted to fire, and the plants that grow back in a burned area. An article about trees from the National Forest Foundation, and a couple articles about other fire-adapted species from the Teton Chapter of the Wyoming Native Plant Society and “fire followers” in Southern California.

What trees and plants move into burn areas in the environment where you live? (If you live in a city, look to the surrounding areas)

If you’re interested in learning more about wildfire ecology, I’ve posted reviews of a couple books right here on the blog: The Glorious Forest that Fire Built, by Ginny Neil and Fire Escape: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires , by Jessica Stremer.

Check out why some folks use controlled burns to restore health and diversity to natural lands here. 

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.

How To Plant a Forest

The Blue Jays That Grew a Forest 

by Lynn Street; illus. by Anne Hunter 

48 pages; ages 4-8

‎Peachtree/Margaret Quinlin Books, 2025

theme: ecology, autumn, birds

How does the mighty oak create more oak trees? By making acorns.

But here’s the thing about acorns: they are heavy! (I know this because I’ve had a few fall on my head.) They are too heavy to blow on the breeze, so they plunk right down to the ground. Right under the tree. Here’s another thing about acorns: they need sun and water and room to grow. And how can they get that if they’re laying on the ground in the shade with all the other acorns? Well, if they’re from the white oaks next to my house they get picked up and moved by squirrels and birds, carried away, and buried in the ground. 

And sometimes those acorns get forgotten and they sprout into tiny oak seedlings (I know this because I’ve had more than a few grow in my vegetable patch!). 

In luscious, lyrical language, author Lynn Street pulls readers into the acorn-caching behavior of blue jays who hide their treasure – like pirates! “With their beaks, the jays tap, tap, tap the acorns into soft ground…” she writes. The jays have to move fast, because there’s competition. Squirrels, turkeys, mice, chipmunks, deer … they are gathering up acorns too.

What I like about this book: I mentioned the language. Here’s what I mean: “Back and forth— flashes of sapphire in the sun— blue white, blue white.” Even without an illustration you can picture this blue jay flapping across the sky. I like that Lynn takes us through an entire year: winter when jays dig up the acorns to eat, spring when they feed their nestlings bugs (because acorns are too big for babies…),  and fall, when the young jays join the “blue crew” and help their parents collect acorns for the winter. I like the back matter, too! More information about oak trees and jays, and how human interaction has changed the nature of oak forests. There’s also a great list of books for further reading and some websites to visit.

Lynn’s inspiration for this book came from a photo of a blue jay carrying an acorn. In addition to researching books and articles about blue jays and oaks, she spent lots of time watching jays. So I had to ask her A Couple Questions:

Me: What cool insights have you gained from the jays visiting your backyard? (ours are raucous thieves!)

Lynn: I watched blue jays in my backyard as they interacted with a pin oak just over the fence. From a second story window, I was able to see into the oak’s canopy as jays pried acorns from the tree. Over several fall seasons, I spotted more and more of this acorn gathering in real time.

I noticed, too, where the peanuts from my bird feeder were being hidden. One jay buried a peanut under leaf litter. Another time I spotted a jay leaving a peanut in the rain gutter of my neighbor’s house. I also watched a blue jay pull an acorn out from between flagstones on my patio.

Me: Jays are related to crows, and crows are pretty smart birds. How do jays exhibit their corvid intelligence?

Lynn: Blue jays are part of the corvid family, which includes crows, magpies, nutcrackers, and ravens. Blue jays are very intelligent. They have an amazing spatial memory, which helps them locate thousands of buried acorns. The blue jay that dug up an acorn from my patio knew exactly where it was hidden. It landed, plucked it out, and was flying again a few seconds later. 

Blue jays are also great mimics. Their calls can sound like a hawk, or a squeaky gate. The hawk call may alert other jays to predators nearby or trick other birds into thinking a hawk is present. I hear the hawk call often, and the jays always fool me. I look outside when I hear it, but each time it’s a blue jay perching in a nearby tree. Only one time was it a hawk circling high above my street.

In captivity—but not in the wild—blue jays have been observed using tools to rake food into their cages.

The black markings on their faces and throats (called a bridle or necklace) vary and may help the jays to tell each other apart. Do you think you can tell the blue jays at your feeder apart?
 

Beyond the Books:

Watch some blue jays this fall.  Draw a picture of what your jays look like – and make sure to note the markings on their faces and throats.

This one comes from Lynn: Watch your jay’s behavior. Is the bird eating? Is it hiding food or plucking an already buried acorn out of the ground? Blue jays move quickly, so pay close attention!

Do you have oak trees in your neighborhood? If so, get to know them. Draw a map of where the oak trees are growing. 

In the spring, look for oak sprouts. You might find one in your yard or neighbor’s garden. If it’s “in the way” ask if you can dig it up. Then put it in a pot and watch it grow,

Lynn is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, lynnstreetbooks.com 

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they resume. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publisher.

The Big, the Bad, and the Ugly

Fantastic Flora: The World’s Biggest, Baddest, and Smelliest Plants

by Ann McCallum Staats; illus. by Zoë Ingram 

144 pages; ages 8-12

‎ MIT Kids Press, 2025  

When plants face a problem, they can’t get up and move. Rooted to the ground, they have to find nutrition, fend off predators, and survive whatever conditions the environment throws at them. They thrive, writes Ann McCallum Staats, by “using brilliant – and bizarre – adaptations.” Some have thorns, others entice insects through the use of chemical signals.

With that in mind, Ann divides her book into four sections, focusing on The Big, The Bad, The Smelly, and The Exceptionally Strange. You probably know at least one really big plant: the giant sequoia. And you may have seen photos of cars driving through one, or many people holding hands to circle a tree. You may have even heard of the biggest of them all, General Sherman which stretches 275 feet into the sky. But did you know that a sequoia’s roots can stretch more than 150 feet from the base? 

Trees aren’t the only huge plants. There’s a water lily whose leaf is so big that you could use it for a raft!

What makes a plant “bad?” How about those that kill off animals nibbling their berries, roots, and leaves? Or those that, by simply touching their sap, could blind you. Certainly there are plenty more bad actors, and I’m sure we can each think of our “most despicable plant” (my vote goes to cholla cactus).

Then there are the smelly ones… the ginkgo which looks lovely but stinks up a storm! And skunk cabbage, one of the earliest plants to emerge in our snow-covered northeast, but carries a certain perfume. Of all the stinkers, the corpse plant whose name may be the most honest. It really does smell like a rotting carcass, and all for the sake of attracting flies to carry its pollen to another flower.

The plant kingdom is so diverse that you’re bound to find a few oddballs, and Ann shares three. One is a plant that’s turned the tables in a bug-bite-leaf world and dines on insects. Another disguises itself as a stone, and a third is a dainty orchid with flowers that look like flying ducks. Orchids are notorious tricksters, and have co-evolved some intricate partnerships with pollinators.

This is a fun book to read, and I wanted to know more. Ann graciously answered a couple of questions.

Me: How did you come across this idea for presenting a book about plants: the biggest, baddest, smelliest? 

 

Ann: I was staring out my office window one day and noticing the pattern of browns and golds (it was winter so no leaves). I decided to write about plants as a kind of challenge to myself. As a former teacher, I was often given a curriculum that could be boring--it was my job to make it engaging for kids and I enjoyed that task. I had low expectations for plants, but once I started a little research, I was astonished by some of the incredible adaptations plants use to survive. Seriously, some of the plants I showcase have seeds that explode, anti-fish armor, and berries so toxic that eating just a few is fatal. I was hooked. As for the structure of the book--the big, the bad, the smelly, and the exceptionally strange, that took some thought. I knew that the organization scheme was key. It couldn't be chronological or based on who, what, where. When I was brainstorming and finding fun facts, it came to me that this structure would work well for the topic. I wanted to highlight how amazing plants really are, once you ‘dig’ in.

Me: I love the "Be-Leaf it or not" features. How did those develop? Because I notice there are plenty of longer sidebars.

Ann: These recurring features focus on some cool fact that I wanted to include but that didn’t quite fit into the text of the chapter. I guess I'd call them breakout boxes. They provide an extension of the chapter and fun additional factoids. They are a little different from the sidebars which are more scientific in nature or offer a more in-depth explanation of something. The “Be-LEAF it or Not” pullouts ask a question and then share a little, fun tidbit that goes beyond the chapter. I really like the way they designed the book with these breakout boxes highlighted. 

Ann is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, annmccallumbooks.com

Thanks for dropping by today. On Monday we'll be hanging out at Marvelous Middle Grade Monday with other  bloggers. It's over at Greg Pattridge's blog, Always in the Middle, so hop over to see what other people are reading. Review copy provided by the publishers.

When a Tree Falls....

 

When a Tree Falls: Nurse Logs and Their Incredible Forest Power 

by Kirsten Pendreigh; illus. by Elke Boschinger 

44 pages; ages 6-9

Chronicle Books, 2025

theme: trees, ecology, nonfiction

A tall tree suns and sways. She is a place to grow, to rest, to shelter.

Over time and seasons we see what animals nest on the boughs, chip into the bark and, after the tree crashes to the forest floor, hide beneath the fallen trunk. Using lyrical language, Kirsten Pendreigh shows readers how the fallen tree nurtures new life.

What I like about this book:

The language is beautiful and spare – just enough words to convey meaning without cluttering up the page. This leaves lots of room for the beautiful illustrations by Elke Boschinger. I love how she tucks fungi along the edge of the tree, and the details of the mosses growing on the trunk – these are the same things I find on fallen trunks in the woods behind my house.

I like the arc of the story, which spans many years over which children grow into adults with their own children, who they bring into the forest to admire the trees. And I really like that Kirsten includes back matter that explains what nurse logs are, how they nurture new life, and how they keep the forest healthy. 

Kirsten graciously answered a Couple Questions: 

Me: When did you know you had to write this story about Doug fir and hemlock?

photo by Carrie Marshall

Kirsten: I've been fascinated by nurse logs since I first moved to the West Coast 30 years ago. Trees growing out of other trees! I felt there was something profound happening, and noticed how kids gravitated to these tree nurseries. About six years ago, while hiking the trails near my home, a refrain came into my head and became kind of an incantation. "A tall tree suns and sways...she is a place to grow, to rest, to shelter." The words kept building and became a life cycle story I was excited to write, and share with little ones.

Me: I love that you say in back matter that all species are connected and we all need to help one another. Did this guide your writing of this book?

Kirsten: I'm not sure it guided the writing but it was just organically there all along. I didn't know when I started writing that Douglas firs themselves typically don't grow out of nurse logs even though nurse logs in this part of the world are typically fallen Douglas firs! Western hemlocks are the most common species to grow out of Douglas fir nurse logs, so right there is a clear example of a deep connection. I learned that nurse logs help salmon survive, when they fall across streams they create sheltered pools for young salmon to grow. We are starting to understand how crucial it is to have diversity in the forest; how webs of life depend on a variety of species, how single species stands of trees are not as resilient as diverse forests. The more you look, the more you see these interconnections in nature. There is such strength in diversity. I hope it's an understanding people can take beyond the forest.

Beyond the Books:

Observe a tree. Describe what does it look like from far away. Now get under it and look up. How would you describe it? Draw a picture or take photos of your tree from different points of view. 

Examine a fallen log. What do you notice growing on the trunk? What about beneath it? Can you tell what kind of tree it is and how old it is? Are there any baby trees growing on it?

Stand tall like a tree. Here’s a video showing a kid-friendly yoga “tree pose.” Can you feel yourself rooting into the earth?

Kirsten is a member of #STEAMTeam2025. You can find out more about her at her website, www.kirstenpendreigh.com

Today we’re joining Perfect Picture Book Friday. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copy provided by the publishers.

Explore Outdoors ~ look up!

 

 

 

What do you see 

when you look up into the trees?

What trees and shrubs

are breaking into bloom?

 

Explore Outdoors ~ End of Winter

 Spring officially begins tomorrow!  So this is a great time to walk around and see what the dregs of winter look like, and what the beginning of spring brings. Down at a neighbor's yard I found some mummied cherries and a catkin just waking up from a long winter's nap.

 

 

 What end-of-winter changes do you see around your neighborhood?

 

Illustrated by Kate Cosgrove...

I’ve been wanting to review these two books for a while ... so I put them on my desk right next to my keyboard so I wouldn't miss them (unless I piled other stuff on top, which I did...). Anyway, there they are, and I'm looking at them thinking, hmmm... they feel like they belong together in a review. Sure, trees and flowers are both plants. But there’s something else nibbling on my attention. Something about how the illustrations feel free and flowing. And I realize: Kate Cosgrove illustrated both of them! I hadn’t noticed it before because - let’s be honest - when we talk about books we usually talk about who wrote them. 

Themes: flowers, trees, art

Just Flowers 

by Erin Dealey; illus by Kate Cosgrove 

40 pages; ages 5-8

Sleeping Bear Press, 2024

There’s something to be said about a book featuring flowers that opens with a cold and snowy day. “One blustery brr day, in a dreary, dull town, a new neighbor moved in.” Izzy watches the new neighbor stomping about in his yard, grumbling, “where are the roses?”

She sees what he doesn’t – small white flowers called snowdrops. “Galanthus,” Izzy tells him. “Gesundheit,” he replies. Spread by spread Izzy discovers wonderful flowers in her neighbor’s yard: tulips, buttercups, impatiens, delphinium. But all he wants is roses.

What I like love about this book: I love the collection of flower names in the book: dahlias, asters, cup and saucer vine. I love that sometimes Izzy provides the genus name for the flowers. And I love how “just flowers” make the people around Izzy bloom. The last spread highlights all the flowers and plants in the book, with common and scientific names. It’ll make you want to head outside and identify plants you find in your neighborhood.

And, of course, there's the art!

A Tree Is a Community (Books for a Better Earth) 

by David L. Harrison; illustrated by Kate Cosgrove 

40 pages; ages 4-8

Holiday House, 2024

From bugs to birds and beyond, the short free-verse poems on each page in this book celebrate the animals that make up the community in and on the hackberry tree in author, David Harrison’s back yard. But first, we need a spring rain to moisten the soil and give the trees roots a good drink!

In spring,

the rain 

ROARS!

GUSHES!

POURS 

Down through that 

rich, 

dark 

soil.

What I like love about this book: You mean besides the ants and bees and moths and beetles? I love the vibrant verbs. Bugs crawl and climb and scurry. Birds flip and flap, fly and tote. This is a great book to find action words. At the same time, we see the diversity of wildlife using the tree as a home, and watch the passing of the seasons. And if that’s not enough, there’s some extra stuff on the back end pages: David’s note about why trees are important, a list of books for further reading, and an index to the tree dwellers – possums, page 23.

Beyond the Books:

Make some flowers to pop in a recycled bottle or can – or maybe some flower-stamp cards for your friends. All you need is some corks, acrylic paint, cardstock (or index cards) – and buttons and green pipecleaners for the flowers. Here’s how.

What sort of communities do your local trees support? Choose one or two to follow over the spring, summer, and fall. Who uses your tree over the seasons? How does your tree change from spring to fall? Choose a way to share your observations with your friends – maybe you want to paint pictures, like Kate Cosgrove, or write poems, like David Harrison. Or maybe photography is more your thing, or pressing leaves. 

Kate Cosgrove talks about her illustration process for her very first picture book, And The Bullfrogs Sing, by David Harrison (Holiday House, 2019) and her art for A Tree Is a Community on Kathy Temean’s blog here and here. And you can watch an interview with her local TV station here.

We’ll join Perfect Picture Book Friday once they’re finished with the Valentiny story contest. It’s a wonderful gathering where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.