Trees and plants in the rain forest Book

One of a number of informational picture-books about trees that author/illustrator Barbara Bash has published - others include In the Heart of the Village : The World of the Indian Banyan Tree , Desert Giant: The World of the Saguaro Cactus and Ancient Ones: The World of the Old-Growth Douglas Fir - this engaging title highlights one of the stars of the arboreal world: the magnificent baobab. Opening with a !Kung folk belief about the baobab - that it was planted by the hyena, when the Great Spirit was allowing each animal to plant a tree, but that the hyena, being late, and rather confused, planted it upside down - it profiles the wealth of species that depend upon it for sustenance, and the mini ecosystems incorporated in its body. From the many insects that feed upon its bark and foliage, to the birds who nest in its branches and trunk - not to mention the larger mammals, from bush babies to humans, who eat its fruit and flowers, or the honey made in its hollows - it becomes clear that baobab truly is a life-giving tree.

Informative and engaging, Tree of Life: The World of the African Baobab is everything that a natural history picture-book should be: educational, entertaining, and beautifully illustrated! The watercolor artwork is just lovely, with deep, vivid colors, and realistic depictions of flora and fauna. The African savannah really comes to life in Bash's paintings, which are full-page, with the text appearing in the lighter, background portion of the artwork. I learned quite a bit, and, as should always be the case with good non-fiction, came away with a desire to know more - if the hyena planted the first baobab, according to the !Kung, then which trees did the other animals plant? - which means that I will undoubtedly be picking up the three other titles in Bash's Tree Tales series. A great big thank you to my goodreads friends Chandra and Kathryn, who alerted me to this one - I might never have picked it up, otherwise, and that would have been a shame! Highly recommended to all young tree-lovers and naturalists, and to anyone looking for good children's non-fiction.