This oversized nonfiction book is part of Candlewick Studio's output, originally published in the UK in 2019. They produce beautiful books, but I've found they vary in appeal to readers, other than the appeal of a giant book, which can't be discounted!
This one is cool, but a challenging read for the average kid. Most spreads include a dense section of text on the left, with a stylized border, and a diagram of some kind on the right. The color schemes of each spread vary from green to purple, red to turquoise. The various sections explain in detail how plants reproduce, from seeds to spores, different types of plants from fungi to cacti, photosynthesis, plant communication, and more. It goes into enough detail for a high school biology text, throwing around chloroplasts, cycads, mycorrhizal networks, and more. The last spread introduces a number of endangered plant species.
Like most titles from this imprint, there are no sources or bibliography included. These are very much coffee-table books, titles that would be given as gifts to a child or adult with a deep interest in science. However, the diagrams are really well-done; they explained things I've never understood about plant reproduction and behavior. While this isn't a typical library purchase, it would certainly be a fun book for budding scientists to browse.
Verdict: Not a necessary purchase (except for the scientific gardener in your life) but if you have an oversized section or kids interested in science, this may well find a happy home in your library. For a more accessible book on the science of plants, look at Lita Judge's Wisdom of Trees.
ISBN: 9781536215328; This edition published March 2021 by Candlewick Studio; Review copy provided by publisher
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