Another Look: Cybils Nonfiction Nominees of Note!

 I traveled recently, after NOT traveling, and returned to find a potted plant looking dead. After apologizing to it and watering it liberally, I reflected on the resilience of plants: blades of grass popping through rock or sidewalk crevices, trees that scar after lightning strikes but live on, seeds that can lie dormant for centuries, even millennia, to sprout when conditions allow. 

So, I spoke to that miserable, withered plant daily, urged the one or two struggling stems to keep fighting, and cheered when other leaves or stems joined in the struggle to lift and turn to the light. The entire plant is back, drinking steadily and basking in southern sunlight each day. I've even noted that morning holds excitement for me as I notice the restful darkness has made a clear difference in the overall recovery. I'll be more aware of needs next time BEFORE leaving them in such a state, but it was an important reminder to me of faith, hope, and patience.

I begin with this because trees are even greater wonders of survival, strength, and successful lives. Two of the nominees in the elementary/middle grade category for nonfiction are especially good examples of this quality of trees. 

As the song lyric says: Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...

Kids Can Press, 2021

Before We Stood Tall: From Small Seed to Mighty Tree is written by Jessica Kulekjian and illustrated by Madeline Kloepper. 

This approach to conveying the role and life cycles of trees in our environment is lyrical, lilting, and informative. It challenges readers to explore the earthy impressionistic illustrations and layers of scientific information within its minimal, moving narrative. The effective use of patterns and repetition in phrases and themes is powerful and effective. Simple back matter organizes extended insights and information without being overwhelming. 

A marvel of a book about the marvel of trees on our planet in their earliest stages of life and growth.

Contrast the focus of the above book with the big-picture portrayal of a particular tree(s) in PANDO: A Living Wonder Of Trees. It is the magical creation of graphic storyteller Turine Viet-Tu Tran and Kate Allen Fox.  Named One of the Best Books of 2021 by School Library Journal, this is a MUST SEE new picture book that has won attention and awards already.

The luminous, ethereal, and inspiring illustrations elevate an already important and informative nonfiction picture book to the five-out-of-five stars I give it. Many folks, young and old, have been learning about ways forests communicate and connect at the underground level. This is a separate look at a massive single organism, one involving 47000-plus apparently separate locust trees. It reveals the unique way in which a single plant can extend itself underground. As a result, the leaves all bud and turn green simultaneously, they turn vibrant yellow in fall and drop at the same time, in chorus. 

Small facts inserted on most pages supplement a lovely, lyrical text. Pando is a very specific aspen organism in Utah, the largest of all known, world-wide. Early pages indicate that the multi-verse tree emerged shortly after the ice age and long before human life was known to coexist on this continent. 

The information is as jaw-dropping as the images are soothing and meditative. 

Give this one a close look, and if sharing with young readers, pair with THE WISDOM OF TREES, by Lita Judge.

And always give plants a chance, indoors or out, even when they seem to have given up on life. As a matter of fact, that's not bad advice for any life. A little improvement in conditions and some sincere encouragement can go a long way when it comes to resilience.