Bunting, Philip. Gentle Genius of Trees, The. Philip Bunting, Illus. Crown, 01/2023. 32pp. Non-Fiction. GRADES Kindergarten – 3. $17.99. 978-0-593-56781-4. LOW ADDITIONAL.
Information about tree morphology is accompanied by comical pictures, goofy jokes (“How do you make an oak tree laugh? Tell it acorny joke”), and inspirational quotes (“Grow slow, grow strong”). The author focuses on the interconnection between “hairy humans” and their “foliaged friends,” but the asides often distract rather than provide clarification of scientific concepts. The page on photosynthesis, for example, represents glucose as cotton candy. An asterisked note explains that this is an artist’s impression, not what glucose actually looks like. Source notes and a glossary would have added depth to the overall presentation.
Jenny Andrus—Independent