500s: Rooting Around: Plants

Reviewed by Paula Willey, Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, MD -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2008

Also in this article: Zigzag through Nature The Bottom Line

These series present the plant kingdom from a variety of angles. “21st Century Junior Library: Plants” is pitched at the kinetic learner, as it has little text, no diagrams, and plenty of activities; while “Plant Top Tens” is for the kid who just thinks nature is cool.

JOHNSON, Terry. Growing New Plants. ISBN 978-1-60279-279-1. LC 2008014564.
PETERSEN, Christine. Flowers. ISBN 978-1-60279-275-3. LC 2008008953.
PETERSEN, Christine. Plants Need Sunlight. ISBN 978-1-60279-273-9. LC 2008010473.
PETERSEN, Christine. Plants We Eat. ISBN 978-1-60279-276-0. LC 2008006523.
PETERSEN, Christine. Trees. ISBN 978-1-60279-274-6. LC 2008008952.
ROSENBERG, Pam. Healing Plants. ISBN 978-1-60279-278-4. LC 2008014343.
PETERSEN, Christine. Plants We Wear. ISBN 978-1-60279-277-7. LC 2008011347.
PETERSEN, Christine. What Is a Plant? diag. ISBN 978-1-60279-272-2. LC 2008012313. ea vol: 24p. (21st Century Junior Library: Plants Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Cherry Lake. 2008. PLB $22.80.

Gr 2-5–These colorful, cleanly designed books incorporate activities designed to exercise basic science skills, such as observation, estimation, and comparison, but are uneven in quality. In the first book, seed, spore, bulb, cutting, and division are given the once-over; while the text states that tulips and daffodils grow from bulbs, there is no explanation of how bulbs are formed. Flowers neglects to identify and label the parts of a flower, concentrating instead on seeds and pollination. Sunlight identifies the three basic needs of plants and provides a very simple summary of photosynthesis and the movement of food and nutrients through a plant’s vascular system–without using the words “photosynthesis” or “vascular.” Plants We Eat, Trees, and Healing Plants are stronger titles, offering basic overviews of their topics. However, while the photographs are clear and informative, all of the books suffer from a lack of labeled diagrams.

SCOTT, Michael & Angela Royston. Africa’s Most Amazing Plants ISBN 978-1-4109-3139-9; ISBN 978-1-4109-3146-7. LC 2008001094.
SCOTT, Michael & Angela Royston. Asia’s Most Amazing Plants ISBN 978-1-4109-3140-5; ISBN 978-1-4109-3147-4. LC 2008001114.
SCOTT, Michael & Angela Royston. Australasia’s Most Amazing Plants ISBN 978-1-4109-3141-2; ISBN 978-1-4109-3148-1. LC 2008001496.
SCOTT, Michael & Angela Royston. Europe’s Most Amazing Plants ISBN 978-1-4109-3142-9; ISBN 978-1-4109-3149-8. LC 2008001115.
SCOTT, Michael & Angela Royston. North America’s Most Amazing Plants ISBN 978-1-4109-3143-6; ISBN 978-1-4109-3150-4. LC 2008001499.
SCOTT, Michael & Angela Royston. South America’s Most Amazing Plants ISBN 978-1-4109-3144-3; ISBN 978-1-4109-3151-1. LC 2008001502. ea vol: 32p. (Plant Top Tens Series). maps. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Raintree 2008. PLB $27.50; pap. $7.99.

Gr 3-5–Rather than breaking down the plant kingdom by biome, usage, or type, this series spotlights unusual or useful plants by continent. Europe includes spreads on rootless duckweed and reindeer lichen, for example, while the gum tree and strangler fig are among species highlighted in Australasia. The books are entertaining and informative, well designed and well illustrated, and include small but clear maps. While their scope is certainly unusual, they do not shed particular light on details such as plant families or life cycles. An interesting addition for botany enthusiasts.

Zigzag through Nature

BAINES, Becky. A Den Is a Bed for a Bear ISBN 978-1-4263-0309-8. LC 2008007221.
BAINES, Becky. Every Planet Has a Place ISBN 978-1-4263-0313-5. LC 2008024447.
BAINES, Becky. What Did One Elephant Say to the Other? ISBN 978-1-4263-0307-4. LC 2008007218.
BAINES, Becky. Your Skin Holds You In diag. ISBN 978-1-4263-0311-1. LC 2008024447. ea vol: 32p. (Zigzag Series). illus. photos. CIP. National Geographic 2008. PLB $14.95.

K-Gr 2–These books present factual, clearly-written information on their featured subjects. Readers’ curiosity will be piqued by the vibrant color photographs, accommodating illustrations, large font size, and helpful captions. Special features include drawings superimposed over photographs, and a “zigzag” path at the end of each book prompting readers to further explore the topic in new and fun ways, such as building a bear den, imagining what Earth would look like from Venus, explaining what could be done with a trunk instead of a nose, and coloring fingertips with markers to examine a colored fingerprint. This series will be a welcome addition in libraries that do not have “The Space Explorer,” “Nature’s Patterns,” “Look After Yourself,” “Zoo Animals,” and “Creature Comparisons” series (all Heinemann). These new treatments should draw diverse readers and support elementary curricula.–Cara Moffett, Freelance Reviewer

The Bottom Line

These series aren’t comprehensive in their coverage of botany as a whole, but they cover some unusual and fascinating species, and are worth considering as supplements if interest warrants.

A Look Inside: Series Nonfiction on Life Scienc (Fall 2008)

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