Books to Read
If you enjoy learning about plants, you’ll find many interesting books
about them. The books listed here are only a sampling. Your school or
public library will have more.
Ages 5 to 8
Between Cattails by Terry Tempest Williams (Scribner, 1985)
Cattails are tall plants with brown furry spikes that live in marshes.
The book will tell you all about cattails and other plants and animals
that live in marshes.
A Book of Vegetables by Harriet L.
Sobol (Putnam, 1984)
You may find vegetables more interesting at the dinner table after
learning about them and the plants they grow on.
Discovering Trees by Douglas Florian (Scribner, 1986)
You see trees every day, but how much do you really know about them?
This book helps you to identify some trees and tells how they grow.
Farming and Land: Modern Farmers and Their Machines by Jerry Bushey
(Carolrhoda, 1987)
If you like machines, you will probably enjoy this book about farming
machines. It explains how machines are used on a farm.
From Spore to Spore by Jerome Wexler (Dodd, 1985)
This book describes the life cycle of ferns and tells how you can raise
them.
Grass and Grasshoppers by Rose Wyler (Messner, 1990)
If you like to do experiments, this is the book for you! There are
experiments on almost every page that have to do with grass and some of
the animals that “hop” through it.
In My Garden: A Child\’s Gardening Book by Helen and Kelly Oechsli
(Macmillan, 1985)
If you want a vegetable garden of your own, this is the guide you need
to get started.
In the Forest by Jim Arnosky (Lothrop, 1989)
This book is a collection of paintings of forests, with explanations of
what each painting includes.
Mushrooms by Millicent E. Selsam (Morrow, 1986)
Are all plants in the green kingdom green? Not the mysterious mushroom!
There Once Was A Tree by Natalia
Romanova (Dial Press, 1985)
What happens when an old tree is split by lightning? The answer to this
question is explained in words and beautiful pictures in this book.
Plants That Never Ever Bloom by Ruth Heller (Grosset, 1984)
The author introduces you to a group of plants that don’t flower.
Ages 9 and Up
An Apple Tree Through the Year by Claudia Schnieper (Carolrhoda,
1987)
This book follows an apple tree’s life from winter through the seasons
to fall, when the tree is filled with ripe apples.
Earthworms, Dirt, and Rotten Leaves: An Exploration in Ecology by
Molly McLaughlin (Atheneum, 1986)
Earthworms are an important part of the community. This book includes
experiments that you can do with earthworms so you will better
understand them.
A Forest Year by Carol Lerner (Morrow, 1987)
A forest changes throughout the four seasons of the year. Read how these
changes affect the plants and animals that call the forest home.
From Flower to Flower: Animals and
Pollination by Patricia Lauber (Crown, 1986)
Many flowers need bees or other insects to help them make seeds. Learn
how animals help with the process of pollination.
How Did We Find Out About Photosynthesis? by Isaac Asimov (Walker,
1989)
This book not only explains what photosynthesis is, but also tells how
it was discovered and explained through the ages.
How Leaves Change by Sylvia A.
Johnson (Lerner, 1986)
If you have ever wondered what makes leaves turn such beautiful colors
in the fall, read this book.
Moonseed and Mistletoe: A Book of Poisonous Wild Plants by Carol
Lerner (Morrow, 1988)
Some poisonous plants cause minor skin rashes—others cause death. Find
out about the most common poisonous wild plants.
One Day in the Prairie by Jean Craighead George (Crowell, 1986)
The author of this book describes the importance of prairie grass to all
living things on the prairie.
Plant Families by Carol Lerner
(Morrow, 1989)
Did you know that broccoli, cabbage, and turnips are all members of the
mustard plant family? This beautifully illustrated book is full of
information about how plants are related.
Potato by Barrie Watts (Silver Burdett, 1987)
Full-page photographs and written explanations show how the potato plant
develops from a shoot to a full-grown plant with the tubers, or
underground food-storing stems, that we eat.
Rice by Sylvia Johnson (Lerner, 1985) Rice is the basic food crop
for one-half of the people in the world. This book discusses the
planting and harvesting of this important plant.
Tiger Lilies and Other Beastly Plants by Elizabeth Ring (Walker,
1984)
Can you think of a plant that reminds you of a cat? How about a pussy
willow? This book describes several kinds of plants that remind people
in some way of animals.
Wheat: The Golden Harvest by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent (Putnam, 1987)
The author refers to wheat as “our most important food.” She tells about
the different varieties of wheat and describes the processes of planting
and harvesting wheat for food.
New Words
Here are some of the words you’ve met in this book. They may be new to
you. Many of them are words you’ll meet again in other books—so
they’re good words to know. Some of them are flower names that may be
hard for you to pronounce. Next to each word you are shown how to say it
correctly: acid [(as]{.smallcaps} ihd). The part of the word shown in
capital letters is said a little more loudly. Under each word, the
meaning is given in a complete sentence.
acid [(as]{.smallcaps} ihd)
An acid is a chemical substance strong enough to dissolve things.
agronomist (uh [grahn]{.smallcaps} uh mihst)
An agronomist is a person who studies how to improve the soil so that
crops can grow better.
algae [(al]{.smallcaps} jee)
Algae are green plants without stems, roots, or leaves. They live in
water or moist soil and make their own food.
alyssum (uh [lihs]{.smallcaps} uhm)
Alyssum is a plant of the mustard family. It has small yellow, pink,
rose, or white flowers.
annual [(an]{.smallcaps} yoo uhl)
An annual is a plant that lives only one year.
anther [(an]{.smallcaps} thuhr)
The anther is a tiny sack on a stem inside a flower. The anthers hold
the pollen.
biome [(by]{.smallcaps} ohm)
In nature, a place where certain kinds of plants and animals live
together is called a biome. The climate limits the kinds of plants and
animals that can live there.
botanist [(baht]{.smallcaps} uh nihst)
A botanist is a person who studies plants.
broccoli [(brahk]{.smallcaps} uh lee)
Broccoli is an annual plant that is eaten as a vegetable.
bulrush [(bul]{.smallcaps} ruhsh)
Bulrush is a tall, slender plant that grows in or near water.
cacao (kuh [kay]{.smallcaps} oh)
The cacao is a kind of evergreen tree. Cocoa and chocolate are made from
its seeds.
calamus [(kal]{.smallcaps} uh muhs)
Calamus is a plant with long, swordshaped leaves.
carbon dioxide [(kahr]{.smallcaps} buhn dy [ahk]{.smallcaps} syd)
Carbon dioxide is a heavy, colorless gas that does not have an odor.
carotene [(kar]{.smallcaps} uh teen) or carotin
[(kar]{.smallcaps} uh tihn)
Carotene is a red or yellow color found in plants and animals. Carrots
have carotene.
cauliflower [(kaw]{.smallcaps} luh flow uhr)
Cauliflower is an annual plant that is eaten as a vegetable.
celery [(sehl]{.smallcaps} uh ree)
Celery is a plant with crisp, long stalks eaten as a vegetable or in
salads.
cell (sehl)
A cell is the smallest part of all living things.
cereal (si[hr]{.smallcaps} ee uhl)
Cereal is any plant, such as wheat or oats, that produces a grain used
for food.
chemist [(kehm]{.smallcaps} ihst)
A chemist is a person who studies substances to find out what they are
made of, how they act, and how they change.
chlorophyll [(klawr]{.smallcaps} uh fihl)
Chlorophyll is the green coloring matter made by plants.
chloroplast [(klawr]{.smallcaps} uh plast)
A chloroplast is a tiny, round package of color found in some plant
cells.
chrysanthemum (kruh [san]{.smallcaps} thuh muhm) Chrysanthemum is a
plant with flowers that bloom in the autumn.
cinnamon [(sihn]{.smallcaps} uh muhn)
Cinnamon is a spice made from the bark of a tropical laurel tree.
coleus [(koh]{.smallcaps} lee uhs)
Coleus is a plant with showy, colorful leaves that belongs to the mint
family.
conifer [(koh]{.smallcaps} nuh fuhr)
A conifer is any of a large group of trees and shrubs, most of which are
evergreen and bear cones.
conservation [(kahn]{.smallcaps} suhr [vay]{.smallcaps} shun)
Conservation is the protection and wise use of natural
resources—water, air, soil, minerals, plants, and animals.
cypress [(sy]{.smallcaps} pruhs)
Cypress is an evergreen tree with dark green, overlapping leaves, and
hard wood.
dahlia [(dal]{.smallcaps} yuh)
Dahlia is a tall plant with large flowers that bloom in the autumn.
delphinium (dehl [fihn]{.smallcaps} ee uhm) Delphinium is a plant
that has blue flowers on a tall stalk.
diatom [(dy]{.smallcaps} uh tahm)
A diatom is a tiny water plant.
digest (duh [jehst]{.smallcaps} or dy [jehst)]{.smallcaps}
To digest is to break down food so that it can be used. A plant or
animal digests food by dissolving it inside itself.
fiber [(fy]{.smallcaps} buhr)
A fiber is a long, threadlike piece of a plant.
fungus [(fuhng]{.smallcaps} guhs)
A fungus is a plant without flowers, leaves, or chlorophyll. Two or more
such plants are called fungi [(fun]{.smallcaps} jy).
gall (gawl)
A gall is a lump that forms on leaves, stems, or roots of plants where
they have been hurt by insects or fungi.
geranium (juh [ray]{.smallcaps} nee uhm)
Geranium is a plant with sweet-smelling leaves and pretty flowers.
ginkgo [(gihng]{.smallcaps} koh)
Ginkgo is a large tree with leaves shaped like little fans.
gladiolus [(glad]{.smallcaps} ee [oh]{.smallcaps} luhs)
Gladiolus is a plant with long leaves and large, handsome flowers.
heliotrope [(hee]{.smallcaps} lee uh trohp)
Heliotrope is a plant with sweet-smelling flowers that range from light
purple to dark blue in color. It is also a name for any plant whose
flowers turn to follow the sun.
hepatica (hih [pat]{.smallcaps} uh kuh)
Hepatica is a plant with flowers that bloom in early spring.
herb (urb)
An herb is a plant whose leaves or other parts are used for medicine,
seasoning, food, or perfume.
horticulturist (hawr tuh [kuhl]{.smallcaps} chuhr ihst) A
horticulturist is a person skilled in growing flowers, fruits,
vegetables, and other plants.
humus [(hyoo]{.smallcaps} muhs)
Humus is a black or dark-brown soil made by the rotting of leaves and
other parts of plants.
hyacinth [(hy]{.smallcaps} uh sihnth)
The hyacinth is a plant with bunches of little bell-shaped flowers on
the ends of long stalks.
Joshua tree [(jahsh u]{.smallcaps} uh tree)
The Joshua tree is a small tree that grows in the desert.
lichen [(ly]{.smallcaps} kuhn)
Lichen is fungi and algae plants that are growing together so that they
look like one plant. It looks like moss.
macadamia (mak uh [day]{.smallcaps} mee uh) Macadamia is a tree or
shrub that grows in Hawaii. The nuts are good to eat.
maize (mayz)
Maize is Indian corn.
mineral [(mihn]{.smallcaps} uhr uhl)
A mineral is a substance that is not animal or vegetable.
mistletoe [(mihs]{.smallcaps} uhl toh)
Mistletoe is a plant with small, waxy, white berries and yellow flowers.
oleander [(oh]{.smallcaps} lee [an]{.smallcaps} duhr)
Oleander is a poisonous evergreen.
orchid [(awr]{.smallcaps} kihd)
Orchid is a plant with beautiful flowers. The flowers of most orchids
have a central petal with an unusual shape.
ovule [(oh]{.smallcaps} vyool)
The ovule is the part of a plant that develops into a seed.
oxygen [(ahk]{.smallcaps} suh juhn)
Oxygen is a gas without color or odor. It is part of the air that you
breathe.
papyrus (puh [py]{.smallcaps} ruhs)
Papyrus is a tall water plant once used to make paper.
penicillin [(pehn]{.smallcaps} uh [sihl]{.smallcaps} ihn) Penicillin
is a medicine that was first made from a green mold.
penicillium [(pehn]{.smallcaps} uh [sihl]{.smallcaps} ee uhm)
Penicillium is the kind of mold used to make penicillin.
perennial (puh [rehn]{.smallcaps} ee uhl)
A perennial is a plant that lives more than two years.
poinsettia (poyn [seht]{.smallcaps} ee uh)
Poinsettia is a plant with a small flower surrounded by large red leaves
that look like petals.
pollen [(pahl]{.smallcaps} uhn)
Pollen is a yellowish powder formed in the anthers of flowers. When
pollen reaches a flower’s ovule, a seed is usually formed.
pollinate [(pahl]{.smallcaps} uh nayt)
To pollinate is to carry pollen from one flower to another.
rhubarb [(roo]{.smallcaps} bahrb)
Rhubarb is a plant whose thick stalks are used for making pies and
sauces.
salsify [(sal]{.smallcaps} suh fy)
Salsify is a purple-flowered plant; its roots are eaten as a vegetable.
sassafras [(sas]{.smallcaps} uh fras)
Sassafras is a slender American tree; its bark is used in making
medicine, candy, and tea.
seedling [(seed]{.smallcaps} lihng)
A seedling is a young plant grown from a seed.
sensitive [(sehn]{.smallcaps} suh tihv)
Anything that responds to an outside force (such as light) is thought of
as being sensitive.
sequoia (sih [kwoy]{.smallcaps} uh)
Sequoia is a very tall evergreen tree.
sisal [(sihs]{.smallcaps} uhl)
Sisal is a strong fiber used for making rope or twine.
spore (spawr)
A spore is a single cell that comes from a plant and can develop into a
new plant.
stigma [(stihg]{.smallcaps} muh)
The stigma is the part of a plant that receives the pollen.
sumac (soo mak)
Sumac is a bush with divided leaves; some kinds are poisonous to the
touch.
sycamore [(sihk]{.smallcaps} uh mawr)
Sycamore is a large, common shade tree; its fruit looks like a small,
greenish ball.
tamarack [(tam]{.smallcaps} uh rak)
Tamarack is a tree of the pine family with small cones and needles that
fall off in the autumn.
tendril [(tehn]{.smallcaps} druhl)
A tendril is the threadlike part of a climbing plant that attaches
itself to something and helps support the plant.
thistle [(thihs]{.smallcaps} uhl)
Thistle is a plant that is thickly covered with sharp points.
truffle [(truhf]{.smallcaps} uhl)
Truffle is a fungus that can be eaten; it grows underground.
tundra [(turn]{.smallcaps} druh)
The tundra is a great, treeless plain in a cold place, such as the area
just south of the ice and snow that surrounds the North Pole.
xanthophyll [(zan]{.smallcaps} thuh fihl)
Xanthophyll is the yellow color found in autumn leaves.
Illustration acknowledgments
The publishers of Childcraft gratefully acknowledge the courtesy of
the following artists, photographers, publishers, agencies, and
corporations for illustrations in this volume. Page numbers refer to
two-page spreads. The words \”(left),\” \”(center),\” \”(top),\”
\”(bottom),\” and \”(right)\” indicate position on the spread. All
illustrations are the exclusive property of the publishers of
Childcraft unless names are marked with an asterisk (*).
1: (top left) K. Harris, The Nature Conservancy *; (top right) Alan
Pitcairn from Grant Heilman *; (center left) Torkel Korling *;
(center right) Les Blacklock, Tom Stack & Assoc. *; (bottom left and
right) Norman Weaver
4-19: Gyo Fujikawa
20-25: James Teason
26-27: (top right) George Suyeoka; (bottom) James Teason
28-29: (left) Nigel Alexander (Specs Art Agency); (right) George
Suyeoka
30-31: (top right) George Suyeoka: (bottom) James Teason
32-37: George Suyeoka
38-39: (left) Angela Lumley (Specs Art Agency); (top center) Adrian
Davies, Bruce Coleman Ltd. *; (bottom center) A. J. Deane, Bruce
Coleman Ltd. *
40-41: (top left) Hermann Eisenbeiss, Photo Researchers *;
(center left) Jerome Wexler, NAS *; (right) James Teason
42-43: (left) Geoff Dore, Bruce Coleman Ltd. *; (right) James
Teason
44-45: Harold Hungerford *
46-47: (left) Robert Keys; (right) Edward S. Ross *
48-49: Jean Helmer
50-51: Irvin L. Oakes, NAS *
52-53: (top left) Sven Samelius *; (center left) Russ Kinne, Photo
Researchers *; (bottom left) Ken Brate, Photo Researchers *; (top
right) Walter Chandoha *; (bottom right) Grant Heilman *: art, Jean
Helmer
54-55: Russ Kinne, Photo Researchers *
56-57: (top left) Torkel Korling *; (center left) Jane Burton,
Bruce Coleman Ltd. *; (bottom left) Edward S. Ross *; (top right
and center) Torkel Korling *; (bottom right) Edward S. Ross *; art
left, Jane Pickering (Linden Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean Helmer
58-59: Les Blacklock, Tom Stack & Assoc. *
60-61: (top left) Torkel Korling *; (bottom left) Harold
Hungerford, Tom Stack & Associates ‘; (top center) Edward S. Ross *;
(bottom center) G. D. Plage, Bruce Coleman Ltd. *; (top right) E.
R. Degginger *; (bottom right) Torkel Korling *; art left, David
Thompson (Linden Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean Helmer
62-63: Ron Church ‘
64-65: (top left) Joan E. Rahn *; (bottom left and left center) Ron
Church, Tom Stack & Associates *; (bottom center) Walter Dawn *;
(top right) Eileen Tanson, Tom Stack & Associates *; (right center)
Carlson Ray, Photo Researchers *; bottom art, David Thompson (Linden
Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean Helmer
66-67: Gale Belinky, Photo Researchers \’
68-69: (top left and left center) Noble Proctor, Photo Researchers *;
(bottom left and bottom right) Les Blacklock, Tom Stack & Associates
*; (center) Sven Samelius *; art left, David Thompson (Linden
Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean Helmer
70-71: Loren McIntyre, Woodfin Camp, Inc. *
72-73: (top left) Russ Kinne, Photo Researchers *; (left center)
Jacques Jangoux *; (center) G. R. Roberts *; (bottom and top
right) Edward S. Ross *; art left and top right, Jane Pickering
(Linden Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean Helmer
74-75: Gene Ahrens, Bruce Coleman Inc. *
76-77: (top left) Edward S. Ross *; (center) Harold Hungerford *;
(left center) Alan Pitcairn from Grant Heilman *; (bottom) Walter
Chandoha *; (top right) R. H. Lynam, Tom Stack & Associates *;
(right center) Andy Bernhaut, Photo Researchers *; (bottom right)
Paolo Koch, Photo Researchers *; art left, Jane Pickering (Linden
Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean Helmer
78-79: Steve and Dolores McCutcheon *
80-81: (top left and bottom center) Jen and Des Bartlett, Bruce
Coleman Ltd. ‘; (top center) Russ Kinne, Photo Researchers *; (top
right and center right) Steve and Dolores McCutcheon *; (center
left) Sven Samelius *; art, Jean Helmer
82-83: David Muench ‘
84-85: (top left) V. B. Sheffer, NAS ‘; (left center) Klaus W. Buth,
Anthony-Verlag *; (center) Sven Samelius *; (bottom left) Torkel
Korling *; (top right) Heinz Schrempp *; (bottom right) Boyd
Norton ‘; art left, Pat Harby (Linden Artists Ltd.); art right, Jean
Helmer
86-87: Harry McNaught
88-89: (left) Childcraft photos; (right) Edward S. Ross *
90-91: (left) Bendel, Zefa Picture Library *; (inset left)
Anheuser- Busch, Inc. *; (right) R. Bond, Zefa Picture Library ‘;
art, Peter Geissler (Specs Art Agency)
92-93: Lou Bory
94-95: (top left and top right) Jane Burton, Bruce Coleman Ltd. *;
(bottom left) E. R. Degginger *; (right center) Russ Kinne, Photo
Researchers *; (right) Michel Viard, Bruce Coleman Ltd. *
96-97: (top left) Walter Chandoha *; (bottom left) Walter Dawn *;
(right) Lou Bory
98-99: (top left) Charles Belinky, Photo Researchers *; (top
center) Grant Heilman *; (right) E. R. Degginger *; (bottom)
Victor Englebert, Photo Researchers *
100-103: Harry McNaught
104-105: Edward S. Ross *; (bottom right) Karl Weidmann
106-107: David Muench *
108-109: (left) David Muench *; (right) from Island Life by
Sherwin Carlquist, © 1965 by Sherwin Carlquist. Reproduced by permission
of Doubleday & Company, Inc. *
110-113: Betty Fraser
114-115: Hugh Spencer, NAS ‘
116-117: (left) Runk/Schoenberger from Grant Heilman *; (right) ©
Larry West *; art, Betty Fraser
118-119: (left) Harold Hungerford *; (right) Betty Fraser
120-121: (left) Betty Fraser; (right) M. E. Warren *
