Arnosky, Jim. Crinkleroot’s Guide to Knowing the Trees. 1992 Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing
Synopsis: The author’s friendly woodsman appears in this field guide to trees for children. The book contains a treasure of information about hard and softwoods, from the anatomy and various seed and leaf shapes of different species to an explanation of the role of trees in the forest and the tree life cycle. It invites the reader to observe and appreciate forests. The pen-and-ink watercolour illustrations are clear and informative.
Blyton, Enid. The Faraway Tree. Series – first published 1939, Hamlyn/George Newnes Ltd. The titles in the series are The Enchanted Wood (1939), The Magic Faraway Tree (1943), The Folk of the Faraway Tree (1946) and Up the Faraway Tree (1951)
Synopsis: The stories take place in an enchanted wood in which a gigantic magical tree grows – the eponymous ‘Faraway Tree’. The tree is so tall that its topmost branches reach into the clouds and it is wide enough to contain small houses carved into its trunk. The wood and the tree are discovered by three children named Jo, Bessie and Fanny (later updated to Joe, Beth and Frannie), who move into a house nearby. They then go on adventures to the top of the tree.
Bunting, Philip. The gentle genius of trees. Omnibus Books, an imprint of Scholastic Australia. Pty Ltd. 2021
Synopsis: What could we clever humans ever learn from trees? Take an unashamedly anthropomorphic wander through the woods to learn a few life lessons from our foliaged friends. The Gentle Genius of Trees is a small forest of facts exploring the brilliance of trees, from photosynthesis, to symbiosis and the wood-wide web.
Dr. Seuss The Lorax. Random House. 1971
Synopsis: Wind your way through familiar Seussian rhyme, nonsense words, and colourful pen-and-ink art. In The Lorax, the soft, sweet-smelling Truffula Trees are sadly cut to extinction and knitted into unnecessary Thneeds. Children turn the pages and learn how the clean, cheerful environment fades as the animals are forced to move away. Although the Lorax, who speaks for the trees, does his best to plead their case, it’s a dismal end unless …
Hughes, Jane and Hengeveld, Ruth. Little Sap. Cameron Kids. 2021
Synopsis: In this quiet naturalistic tale, Little Sap, a lithe sapling in a dense forest, yearns to grow big like Mother Tree, “the tallest and wisest tree in the grove”, who guides Little Sap on a journey of maturation as the seasons pass. Hughes uses the gentle narrative to impart contemporary knowledge about arboreal ecosystems, such as the symbiotic relationship between trees and fungi. Henheveld contributes enchanting watercolour spreads, intricately portraying wildlife and subterranean root systems through the seasons. The authors note they found inspiration in the science of Suzanne Simard and Monica Gagliano among others. Ages 5-7.
Silverstein, Shell. The Giving Tree. Harper and Row. 1964
Synopsis: A well-known and touching story about a tree who loves, seemingly lives, and ultimately dies to give her gifts to a boy. At the same time, it is also the story of a boy-turned-old man who accepts these gifts and loves the tree for her generosity. The simple pen-and-ink, black-and-white drawings befit a message that has appealed to readers for decades.
Simpson, Inga & Rogerson, Alicia. The Book of Australian Trees. Lothian/Hachette Australia. 2021
Synopsis: Trees tell stories about places, and Australia has some of the tallest, oldest, fattest and most unusual trees in the world. From the red ironbark to the grey gum, the Moreton Bay fig to the bunya pine, trees are each a little different, just like people. Trees tell stories about places. Australia has some of the tallest, oldest, fattest and most unusual trees in the world. They have changed over thousands of years, adapting to this continent’s deserts, mountains, and coasts. Many have found clever ways of dealing with drought and fire. What trees breathe out, we breathe in. They are a vital part of the Earth’s ecosystems. This book is a love song to Australian trees, from the red ironbark to the grey gum, the Moreton Bay fig to the Queensland bottle tree. The first book for children from one of Australia’s most beloved authors.
Wild, Ailsa. Reed, Aviva. Barr, Briony and Crocetti, Gregory The Forest in the Tree. CSIRO Publishing. 2020
Synopsis: This book skilfully weaves story and science to explore symbiotic relationships between trees and fungi. Characters include Broma the Cacao tree and We, Gloma the fungal network that connects the forest system. It is sure to fascinate and inform older children.
Wohlleben, Peter. Can You Hear the Trees Talking? Greystone Books. 2019
From the author of The Hidden Life of Trees, a children’s book structured around curious questions like “How do trees make babies?” or “Is there a forest internet?”.
Wohlleben, Peter. Peter and the Tree Children. Greystone Kids. 2020
Synopsis: A tale about Peter the forester and Piet the squirrel, and all they learn while walking in the forest.