Beautiful and informative. A very creative and engaging look at trees. Will definitely add this to my elementary school library.

This book is such a wonderful resource, it is filled with beautiful illustrations and in-depth explanations about trees and their importance. This is a great book to have at home or in school and do a science quick study about trees. It will teach young children the importance of trees to the environment and a great thing about the book is that it shows children what they can do and how they can help.

This was one of those books that I approached with hesitancy as there are a lot of books about trees. Although art is used for illustration instead of photographs they can be hit or miss. Without actual photographs, unlike some ARCs lately that I have read ,I didn't have to worry about unsightly watermarks to blemish the view.

The actual book turned out to be amazing in my view. It was a nice and informative book about trees without being too busy. Nor is there too much scientific lingo to confuse young readers while where there is a pronunciation guide has been given in most cases.

The writing itself was easy and simple both in presentation as well as understanding. Whenever there was an opening that could lead to another subject in trees a small box was added to the page with a suggestion on what could be followed-up on to learn more and what page to find it on.

I also enjoyed the illustrations. They were bright, beautiful and added to the book. There were times when the details were given in charts so the reader could follow along and in other cases a broad scene of color and subjects were used to simplify the lesson.

All in all this is one book I would suggest for teachers who want to teach about trees or are teaching a nature course, a friendly scientific-toned book for the home or even a beautiful addition to a public library. Young and old alike will find something to enjoy within these beautiful pages.

***I received a free copy to read of this book in exchange for an honest review.***

This book does a great job of breaking down the life cycle of trees and making trees interesting for children. I expect this book to be held in children's collections for some time, maybe even into adulthood because of his wrath of information. I loved the colors and the map of the U.S. inside. Bright, colorful, and informative.

This is an attractive and informative children’s nonfiction book about trees, part of Kids Can Press’s new Nature All Around series. The text is probably best suited to older kids (aged 9-12) as there is an assumption that readers will have some familiarity with atmospheric gases (oxygen, carbon dioxide, ozone, etc.) as well as with the male and female parts of plants. Author Pamela Hickman (who holds a degree in environmental science and biology) begins by clarifying how trees differ from other plants: in their height for one thing—trees grow at least 3 metres (10 feet) tall. She describes the key features of the two main types of trees: deciduous (broad-leafed) and evergreen (needle- or scale-leafed) and points to the unusual larch tree (we call it a “tamarack” in Canada) which is an interesting combination of both types. (Other “strange trees”, including 2000-year-old “General Sherman”—a giant, middle-aged sequoia in California—bigleaf maples, and toxic manchineel trees are also featured in the book.) Hickman moves on to name and describe the basic functions of each part of a tree, and she briefly discusses photosynthesis, respiration, reproduction, and a tree’s growing cycle.

I was interested and enlightened by the details Hickman provides about the flowering of deciduous trees in springtime. Most of us know that fruit trees blossom in spring, but we’re less aware that other deciduous trees also flower. Because spring in Ontario this year was cold, rainy, and slow to arrive, the budding and flowering of the maple in our front yard was quite protracted, and for the first time in my life I actually noticed the tree’s green flowers, which open well before the maple’s leaves. The heavy spring rains made the flowers particularly lush and recognizable. (The fruits, of course, are the keys, which helicopter down later.) Hickman explains that large-leafed deciduous trees tend to put out their flowers before their leaves, as the big leaves can interfere with the dispersal of pollen by insects and the wind. Deciduous with smaller leaves may put out blossoms after leaves have unfurled, or flowers and leaves may open simultaneously.

The author describes deciduous trees’ “work” and the changes they undergo through the seasons, offering some of the clearest explanations I’ve read of how trunks and branches thicken in summer, why leaves change colour and fall in autumn, and how already formed buds are protected during the cold of winter. I now know why the oak in my backyard hangs on to so many of its leaves through the coldest months of the year.

Nature All Around: Trees concludes with a map of Canadian and American forest regions, a consideration of some of the many creatures whose lives are sustained by a single sugar maple, and a beginner tree-watching guide, which includes some new scientific vocabulary for describing the shapes of leaves: lanceolate, ovate, spatulate, and cordate. The reader is also given some guidance about how to help and protect trees, including instructions for planting one. A comprehensive glossary and an index are also provided..

All in all, I was delighted by Hickman’s clearly written text and Carolyn Gavin’s lovely illustrations, although I would have appreciated more information on evergreens. The good balance of information and art makes the book very appealing. Young or old, readers will come away from this book more observant, attentive, and alive to trees, those beautiful living things we so often take for granted.

Rating: 4.5
Highly recommended.

Thanks to Kids Can Press for providing me with a free digital copy for review purposes.

This title offers a comprehensive introduction and enough information to evoke the curiosity of young readers regarding trees. It covers an exhaustive list of topics such as parts of a tree, types of trees, the seasonal variation in tree leaf coverage, forest types, and a guide to tree watching. Excellent introduction. Recommended for all budding naturalists.

A beautifully, informative book about trees, their life cycles and the important role they play in our world.

Not only is this book visually comprehensive with lush and bright illustrations by Carolyn Gavin, but the text is child-friendly yet warmly extensive, offering tips and questions for the curious minded. Accompanied with activities, maps, and a necessary glossary, Pamela Hickman has taken children into the heart of nature and opened our eyes to just how unique and special trees are whilst encouraging children about ways in protecting our planet.

Whilst I would've loved to have learnt more about trees from all over the world, particularly in Britain, as it's primarily focused on trees native to the US and Canada, Nature All Around: Trees still makes more an excellent resource that will be enjoyed by children of all ages.

(Nature All Around: Bugs is out in September which I cannot wait for!)

Nature All Around: Trees is an informative and beautifully illustrated guide to the different tree species in the United States. I read this with our 8-year-old who found this book engaging, especially as a young reader who is very interested in what is all around us. This book gives detailed about tree identification in an easy to consume format and is perfect for beginners.

A very interesting and informative book that young readers would particularly be attracted to due to the vibrant colors and solid information.

I really enjoy this book! It is beautiful and has a good bit of information about trees. The only thing I was hoping for was more about tree identification. Generally it touched on the most common trees in the US overall, though. Given the target group with the book I suppose it was wise to stick to the US, but my 10 year old would have liked to see trees around the world. Perhaps that could be another volume. I enjoyed the illustration style of the book and the information and I recommend it!

This little book has the sweetest illustrations with some fantastic facts for any curious kid! The labelled drawings are correct and clear and would be a wonderful addition to any explorer's home library.

I wish there were more books like "Nature All Around". It makes learning easy to grasp and enjoyable. It highlights the importance of trees, points out endangered trees, and talks about caring for a tree of one's own. If we could get this book into many tiny hands, the world would be one step closer to being a better place.

As the owner of a large property that has many, many different trees, we have several books that help us identify the types and species. This one is a great addition to our library. It not only helps identify the trees, it explains how the "life" of the tree affects the world around it. Pamela Hickman is most certainly a tree person. She has obviously spent a great deal of time and effort to insure anyone who picks her book will receive well written guides and information. A great book for newbies or us older tree lovers who can use the refresher knowledge to teach the younger generations.

[ARC from NetGalley]

This book is perfect school material for teachers or even parents who like to teach their kids about the importance of trees, photosynthesis and other wildlife surrounding us in nature. Not only is this a highly informative book, but the beautiful, colorful illustrations keep grabbing your attention. I would like to highly recommend this book, not only to children or teachers/parents, but to everyone. I've noticed that the information in this book was some new information for me as well. I've learned a lot about how trees work, how they stay alive, how important it actually is for trees to have a cold season and that we need to protect them at all costs.

Also a big thank you for giving me the chance to read this gorgeous book, I enjoyed it so much!

Fantastic introduction for kids (and adults!) who want to learn more about trees and their fascinating variations. This would be great for elementary science units.

There are more than 850 tree species in the United States. Wouldn't it be nice to take a walk and be able to not only appreciate the trees surrounding you, but to be able to identify those trees and their unique qualities as well?

That is what Hickman aims to do in this new release, Nature all Around: Trees. With this resource you will learn all the parts of trees from trunks, bark, roots, branches, crown, leaves and seeds and what makes each one different. This is definitely meant as a beginners guide to identification and not a comprehensive resource.

Review to be posted on GoodReads Apr 2, 2019:

An introduction to types of trees, parts of a tree, how trees grow, and where various types of trees grow in North America.

This is a quick, but quite thorough introduction to trees. The former biology teacher in me was quite satisfied with it. It covered everything from the simple distinction between deciduous and evergreen to the functions of xylem and phloem the names of pigments that show through in the fall to a summary of photosynthesis. A tree’s place in the ecosystem is also covered, a map of sub-biomes of North America and what types of trees grow in each, and some interesting tree tidbits are also provided. I also really liked the illustration style. Recommended for curious middle graders and upper elementary/middle schoolers studying trees.

<i>I received an ARC of this title from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

A lovely and beautifully illustrated guide to trees for younger readers - I loved the pastel color-schemes and the clear, to-the-point explanations of tree components and anatomy (come on, do you know the difference between an evergreen and a deciduous tree? Unless you're a total plant nerd or a certified arborist, I bet you don't). Perfect for elementary or middle school aged readers, or your average adult book reviewer who likes trees. I definitely want to nab a copy of this for my little baby nieces - knowing about trees is required for being a human living in the Pacific Northwest.

Wow! What a beautiful addition to anyone's home library. The illustrations are amazing and beautiful. We do a lot of nature study and nature journaling with watercolors and it's perfect for that inspiration. We love to study trees in real life and then look up information using our nature books and this is so perfect for that. The information is easy to digest for young kiddos and detailed enough for older ones. My favorite part is the journey through trees through the seasons. It would be great for a tree study. Picking a tree to come back to each season to see how it has changed.

Nature All Around: Trees by Pamela Hickman & Carolyn Gavin is part of the Nature All Around series that showcases different aspects of nature. As the title suggests, this book explores trees. From life cycles, to tree parts, and distinguishing between species, young nature explorers get the full scoop on a most vital part of nature. This book is informative without being technical, and gorgeous art graces the pages. There's even a map of the world detailing forest regions and the trees found there. I read this with my cubs and we all enjoyed it. Even I learned new things! I had no idea pinecones could open and close to protect seeds.

***Many thanks to Netgalley & Kids Can Press for providing an ecopy in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is a wonderful nonfiction book that will definitely be enjoyed by elementary children! It is filled to the brim with interesting facts. The content is well organized in a way that will make it easy for kids to access information, although it would also make a great read aloud in the classroom. The illustrations are so well done and support the text well. This would be an excellent mentor text for teachers working on informational writing in writing workshop. Recommended for elementary libraries and classroom libraries for grades 2-5!