Trees: Haiku from Roots to Leaves
In a unique melding of science and poetry, a collection of haiku extols the wonder of trees—and explores the vital roles they play on our living planet.
perched on a branch,
the crow's nest amid green sails
a place for daydreams
From the giant tree ferns of the forests primeval to the hardy sycamores of today’s urban forests, experience the essence of trees through poems that engage with every season and stage of the life cycle, from seed to photosynthesis. A broad exploration of a majestic subject, this collection of haiku touches on such topics as the importance of trees to other living creatures and the communication of trees with one another through a complex network of roots. Paired with Angela Mckay’s bold, bright, beautifully patterned artwork, Sally M. Walker’s third collection, a companion to Earth Verse and Out of This World, encourages respect and care for our arboreal neighbors. Back matter includes a time line, an author’s note, a glossary, and a select bibliography for curious readers.
Creators
Sally M. Walker is the award-winning author of more than sixty books for children, including the companion books Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up, illustrated by William Grill, and Out of This World: Star-Studded Haiku, illustrated by Matthew Trueman. She is also the author of Underground Fire: Hope, Sacrifice, and Courage in the Cherry Mine Disaster; Sinking the Sultana: A Civil War Story of Imprisonment, Greed, and a Doomed Journey Home; Boundaries: How the Mason-Dixon Line Settled a Family Feud and Divided a Nation; and Champion: The Comeback Tale of the American Chestnut Tree, an Orbis Pictus Honor Book. Sally M. Walker lives in Illinois.
Angela Mckay is an illustrator and textile designer. She draws her inspiration from many places, including the natural world, overseas travel adventures, museums, vintage books, and films. She works primarily in gouache and watercolor. Trees: Haiku from Roots to Leaves is her picture book debut. Angela Mckay lives in Perth, Australia.
Reviews
Through short haiku poems, the science and details of trees come to life. . . The combination of poetry, art, and science provides a unique way of introducing the topic. . . .attractive and educational.
School Library Journal
Adopting the haiku form, Walker examines trees, from seed to crown, from ancient times to modern. . . an attractive, informative presentation.
Kirkus Reviews
For her third collection of science-based poetry and prose, Walker comes back down to Earth—celebrating roots, seeds, leaves, and the inner structures of trees in a range of times, climes, and seasons. . . . informative.
Booklist
This collection of haiku introduces readers to the wonder of trees, with poems that engage with every season and stage of a tree’s life cycle. Further explanations of each of the book’s sections — Treetops, Leaf Laboratories and others — explain the science behind the poems.
The Pioneer Press
