Hilltown Families on tree learning

Tree Books Worth Discovering

TREES: A READING LIST

By HF Contributing Writer, Tony(a) Lemos

Sienna’s Arbor Day Episode on HFVS inspired me to compile a list of some of our favorite tree books I thought readers might find useful this time of year. One of my favorite things to do is to take my daughter Zoe on a hike with the intention of finding a new tree friend. We will hike until she finds one, then we’ll stop and spend some time with “her” doing a bark rubbing, tracing/ drawing the leaves, photographing, hugging, identifying and finally sitting up against her quietly to see if she has a message for us. Often we will end our time together by me reading or telling Zoe a story. Our favorites for our tree walks are nature tales by Thornton Burgess.

There are so many kids books about trees. Some fiction and some not. I am drawn to them all. There are the typical early science ones by Gail Gibbon or Bobbie Kalman, but here are a few of our favorites:

Fiction:

• The Tree Farmer - By Leavell & Cravotta
• The Old Tree - By Ruth Brown (A fun nature story with a great surprise at the end!)
• An Elm Tree and Three Sisters - By Norma Sommerdorf
• Sarah’s Willow - By Friedrich Recknagel
• Spirit of the Forest: Tree Tales From Around the World - By Eric Madde

Art/Science:

• Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art - Illustrated by Thomas Locker & written by Candace Christiansen (Beautiful Illustrations as we all expect from Thomas Locker.)
• The Tree in the Ancient Forest - By Carol Reed-Jones (Beautiful lyrical story of life around an old-growth fir tree

Non-fiction:

• Around the Oak - By Gerda Muller
• My Favorite Tree: Terrific Trees of North America - By Diane Iverson (Kids share their special tree. Somewhat of a field guide)
• A Logs Life - By Wendy Pfeffer (Decomposition for kids.)
• Exploring the Forest with Grandforest Tree - By Joanne & Hand (Great homeschooling book! Like no other.

Guide Books:

• Trees, Leaves & Bark (Take-Along Guide) - By Diane Burn

I have to stop. Oh don’t forget the story the Man Who Planted Trees and Hope, another classic! I’ll have to gather up some of my favorites from my adult collection and share a list one of these days!

After a couple of season of doing these tree walks I have found that Zoe notices trees where ever we are, ” Oh that would be a great tree house tree” or “look mama that tree needs a hug”.

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About the Author: Tony(a) Lemos

Tony(a) is the director of Blazing Star Herbal School in Ashfield, MA and maintains an herbal practice in Northampton, MA. She is a graduate of Natural Therapy at Raworth College in England and has apprenticed with many influential herbalist, including Susun Weed. She is the vice president of the North East Herbal Association, and has taught at conferences and festivals all over New England, including Green Nations Gathering and the Women’s Herbal Conference. tlemos@noho.com