Trees

Distinguished with beautiful art and poetic prose, this gentle picture book introduces and celebrates trees. Lemniscates opens with trees sleep in winter, paired with an illustration of bare, ice-covered branches, and then depicts how they wake up in spring: here branches are dotted with pale blooms. After explaining seasonal changes in deciduous trees, Lemni­scates addresses trees' height and roots, as well as their function as homes for many types creatures. Throughout, trees are featured amid varying landscapes, from bucolic to urban, and they eventually incorporate a child enjoying the shade and an apple a tree provides. The concluding Trees are marvelous beings, accompanies an illustration of a child planting seeds and then watching as they begin to grow. The colorful mixed-media illustrations are a charming, collagelike blend of textures, simplistic shapes, and intricate patterns, and a ubiquitous small bird lends a playful touch. While some concepts may need explanation such as, trees clean the air we breathe, or use their roots to communicate and to help one another this eloquent, affectionate portrayal will invite awareness and appreciation of ways trees enhance and impact life.--Rosenfeld, Shelle Copyright 2017 Booklist

PreS-Gr 1-A beautiful introduction to the many ways trees enrich our world. The minimal text begins with the cycle of the seasons and continues through the ways that trees and humans affect each other's environments. Most spreads contain a single sentence, the information presented ranging from fairly straightforward facts such as, "Trees provide homes to many," to statements such as, "Trees use their roots to communicate and to help one another," which touch on complex processes that may require further explanation. A small black bird on each spread establishes continuity and is a visual link among concepts. Near the end, a white-skinned child appears, hugging a tree, enjoying its shade, and, finally, planting seeds that sprout into a young seedling, a symbol of hope for the future. Considering the narrow topic, young audiences will find much to admire in Lemniscates's digital images. Depicting bare winter branches, bright flowers sprouting in spring, and summer trees lush and round in their fullness, the art offers plenty of visual variety and interest. Rich coloring and textures reminiscent of ink and watercolor create a hand-painted feel, elevating the simple narrative. VERDICT A solid family read-aloud or a conservation primer for preschoolers. The striking illustrations and accessible information make this a first purchase.-Chelsea Couillard-Smith, Hennepin County Library, MN © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.