Rooted In Wonder: Trees of the World!

 In a recent post I mentioned attending a writers' conference. It was located in an historic area of central Wisconsin, where the land itself and the conference/complex are both rooted in the past. Trees embraced every view and were reaching glorious Fall color stages, reflected in the luminous lake. My session with Kirsten W. Larson explored narrative nonfiction. (An exemplary title of that format was reviewed HERE.) The other approach to nonfiction we considered is expository, meaning that informational content is directly presented rather than incorporating it into language and structures resembling storytelling.

MOONBIRD,  2026

ROOTED IN WONDER: Celebrating the World's National Trees is written by Michelle Cusolito and illustrated by Marya Wright. The cover itself reminds readers that any discussion of trees MUST consider the flora and fauna supported by trees. Not to mention their incomparably important below ground structures and functions: stabilizing soil, affecting water flow and filtration, interacting with other root systems, and more. The subject matter lends itself less to storytelling and more as outreach to readers with content of high interest. 

This expository approach suits it well and the creatives forces behind this book achieved a keeper. 

Many of my prior posts featured TREE books, some of which are HERE, HERE, and HERE. Each is nonfiction and each is outstanding in  unique ways. In the case of ROOTED IN WONDER, attention is due for the appeal of its contents and the ways in which the text and illustrations take readers on a global tour they might never have imagined. 

End papers provide a welcome anchoring of the information that follows, providing a simple map and a border-parade of the featured trees. This allows for a scaled comparison of their size, type, and distinctive elements, from baobab's bulbous base and seemingly dead appearance to banyan tree's sprawling growth system that generates itself into a virtual forest. The tiny quinoa tree appears unimpressive but it's tagged "fever tree" not for its imposing size or shape but for the life-saving bark used in medicines.

Each of these and more is a "national tree", some designated as such by multiple countries (OAK is claimed by England, Ireland, and the United States). 

Short expository passages about each appear on a double spread in reader-friendly font and size, overlaid on informative illustrations that expand understanding of key traits as well as global locations and related residents of the habitat.

Back matter includes additional short sections of text, each with a spotlight image cut from the featured pages. This and direct prompts encourage readers to look back and explore further. The closing pages of main text require reorienting the book to vertical, displaying a scientific illustration of a tree with labels and cutaways to reveal common elements of all trees. 

The platform I so often preach from is that picture books (good ones) can often serve audiences and populations far wider than those designated by publishers. In this case the range of trees and locations will delight little listeners and expand understanding of basic concepts about trees, while elementary readers can launch research and reports on other trees using this as mentor text. Uses and appeal of this book reach into  older grades and even biology classes to consider and compare text structures as well as biological structures. 

If you are a fan of trees (and if you aren't, why not?) you will want to puruse this expository nonfiction picture book (and care not a whit about that lengthy label). Instead, you'll immerse yourself in a virtual world tour and find not only old friends (oaks, maples) but also meet delightful and unfamiliar rooted-residents of this planet we all share.