Redwoods

A book well-suited for late April, the time between Earth Day and Arbor Day. A boy picks up this book on redwoods on the subway (the reader will recognize the cover), and soon is engrossed. The illustrations reflect his inner absorption. For example, when he reads that some redwoods alive today may have sprouted during the Roman Empire, two Romans in togas appear on either side of him, with really funny expressions on their faces. This scene is probably my favorite. As the boy comes out of the subway, which now seems to have roots growing down through the ceiling, he enters the redwood forests. Interesting facts about redwoods coupled with more amazing illustrations, such as the Statue of Liberty in the redwood forest, and a redwood transplated to a city street, provide the reader some sense of scale. In the end, the book is left for another reader, who won’t be able to resist gaining a new appreciation for these amazing trees. A really engaging way of presenting nonfiction for elementary age readers.

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