When tree became a tree

Many books show the life cycle of an apple, but few include such friendly-looking seeds and so much additional information about trees in a broader context. With a "Wheeee!" and a gleeful smile, an apple falls to the ground--and from there, this cheerful presentation explains how the apple's seed "snuggles into the cozy ground," grows from a seedling to a grand tree over the course of 80 years, and changes seasonally, with one of her last apples starting the cycle anew. In addition, one section explains how trees communicate through underground networks; another briefly shows how other species around the world--from weeping willows to baobabs--differ. Despite the overall storytime feel, terms like photosynthesis and mycelia are introduced effectively and defined quickly and simply in the text. Giving the trees, sun, and other natural elements' smiling faces, while keeping the large-font narrative to a sentence or two per page, makes this an especially welcoming but still informative read for emergent young botanists.

The life of an apple tree, from tiny seed to proud parent. Following the pattern ofWhen Cloud Became a Cloud (2021) andWhen Moon Became the Moon (2023), Hodgson endows nearly everything in his bright cartoon illustrations, from seeds to sun, with a smiley face. He slips a fair bit of scientific information into the minimal narrative, which follows the growth of a seed that emerges from a decomposed apple ("Hi, I'm Seed!") to a mature tree shedding apples of her own. Along the way, younger readers will gain insight into photosynthesis, learn how flowers turn to fruit as the seasons pass, and discover how roots absorb nutrients, serve as anchors, and, with help from fungal mycelia ("I'm a fun guy!"), communicate with other nearby trees. Though the notion that trees do eventually die goes unmentioned, the octogenarian Tree does drop a branch that provides "cozy homes for critters" until it breaks down to improve the soil. In one mini-chapter, select relatives, from rain forest durian trees to spiky pines, weeping willows, and bulbous baobabs, hint at the diversity of Tree's "big, special family." The human figures who appear in some scenes for scale are likewise diverse. A beneficent view of growth and cycles in nature.(Informational picture book. 4-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.