TREES

Adopting the haiku form, Walker examines trees, from seed to crown, from ancient times to modern.

In 10 sections, verses—sparsely punctuated and without initial capitalization—vary in function, alternating the oblique delivery of facts with often lovely metaphor. The section “What’s in a Name?” begins factually: “scientific names / (two-word Latin tongue twisters) / prevent confusion.” The next verse shifts whimsically: “Ginkgo biloba: / hungry mouths chomp chewy greens— / dinosaur salad.” Walker’s imagery is deft, as in these assonant lines: “covered with gray fur / pussywillow catkins cling: / kittens on slim twigs.” The scope is impressive; sweeping across eons, from ancient tree ferns to urban forests, Walker covers seed reproduction, the nutritive function of xylem and phloem tubes, leaf biology, environmental symbiosis, and forest habitats. Mckay’s gouache illustrations emphasize stylized charm over visual verisimilitude, sidestepping opportunities to visually extend the distilled text. A tree’s concentric growth circles, well explained in the backmatter, get a cartoonish treatment, while the “Leaf Laboratories” section chiefly presents leaves as indistinguishable blobs on branches. Simple labels might have allayed confusion between xylem tubes and phloem tubes. People in treehouses and parks are diverse. An excellent six-page informational section expands on the text’s 10 topic areas. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Despite some misalignment between form and content, an attractive, informative presentation.