Are Trees Alive? [Hardcover]

Debbie S. Miller (Author), Stacey Schuett (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

“Are trees alive? How do they breathe? They don't have noses.”

And so begins a conversation between the author and her daughter that leads to a remarkable discovery: Trees are like children in so many ways! They may look very different from people, but trees have roots that hold them to the ground like feet and leaves that blow in the wind like hair. Their bark even comes in different colors, just like our skin.

From this poetic comparison of plants and humans, readers will learn how trees live and grow, and how they get their food. They will learn about the baobab trees of Africa, the banyan trees of India, and the bristlecone pines of California. They will see, through Stacey Schuett's exquisite art, that trees come in all shapes and sizes—just like people—and provide a home to many different animals. But most of all, they will look at trees with greater respect and a bit of awe, after realizing that trees are alive too.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

reSchool-Grade 2-Using comparisons to the human body, Miller describes the characteristics of trees. In simple but poetic terms, she compares the veins of a leaf to those in a person's hand. She tells readers that the tree trunk supports the tree as our legs support us, and that "Bark is dark or light, rough or smooth, thick or thin, just like people's skin." Children can travel the globe, examining common and unusual trees-a weeping willow in China, a baobab in Africa, Australia's ribbon gum, the paper birch of North America, India's banyan tree, etc. The vibrant acrylic-and-gouache illustrations are scientifically accurate and inviting, and the people depicted reflect the cultures of the trees' locations. Illustrated notes at the back of the book explain where they grow and their relative sizes and ages. The trees are also displayed on a map on the colorful endpapers. Team this unique title with such picture books as Cristina Kessler's My Great-Grandmother's Gourd (Orchard, 2000), Lynne Cherry's Great Kapok Tree (Harcourt, 1990), and Scott Sanders's Meeting Trees (National Geographic, 1997) for an informative unit or display about these plants.
Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. In this picture-book-size introduction, Miller explains how trees take in nutrients, grow, and survive changes in their environment. Information is simply, succinctly, and effectively conveyed in a few sentences. Colorful, double-page-spread, gouache-and-acrylic illustrations show trees from regions around the world, which are identified in a picture glossary at the back of the book. One of the best illustrations captures the immensity of redwoods by angling the view downward from mid-trunk and showing a tiny figure standing at the base of the tree. The endpapers are decorated with a world map showing distribution of the trees. The map is somewhat misleading, however, as a tree such as the paper birch, which actually occupies a wide range, is shown only in one small area. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Walker Childrens (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802788017
• ISBN-13: 978-0802788016
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #702,377 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #74 in Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Botany

More About the Author

Debbie S. Miller grew up in the San Francisco Bay area. She loved climbing trees, watching animals, and hiking in wild places such as Yosemite National Park. The natural world inspired her to write at a young age. After obtaining her teaching degree, Debbie moved to Alaska with her husband, Dennis. The call of the wild beckoned them from the freeways of California.

For the past 35 years, Debbie has loved exploring the wilds of Alaska and studying its great diversity of wildlife. Alaska has been the foundation and inspiration for all of her writing. Her first wilderness adventure book, Midnight Wilderness (Sierra Club Books, 1990) describes the wonders and natural history of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge based on 14 years of explorations. Many of her nature books for children, such as Survival at 40 Below (Walker, 2010) have been recognized as Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association and Children's Book Council (NSTA/CBC).

Debbie enjoys speaking in schools across Alaska and America, sharing her books and programs with teachers and students of all ages. She also likes traveling to other wild regions of the world, such as Australia, where she recently studied some fascinating marsupials, reptiles, and birds.

Alaska will always be a home that Debbie cherishes along with her two grown, beautiful daughters who still enjoy hiking, fishing and camping with her.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for elementary children, December 15, 2010

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KC - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Are Trees Alive? (Hardcover)

This is an outstanding book for elementary children learning about nature. In beautiful poetic language, it shows how trees and humans are alike. For example, it explains how bark protects the inside of a tree just like skin protects the inside of a person. The illustrations are lovely - rich and colorful and multicultural. Love this book!!