TITLE:  The Journeys of Trees: A Story about Forests, People, and the Future

AUTHOR:  Zach St. George

DATE PUBLISHED:  July 2020

FORMAT:  Hardcover

ISBN-13:  9781324001607

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DESCRIPTION:

"Forests are restless. Any time a tree dies or a new one sprouts, the forest that includes it has shifted. When new trees sprout in the same direction, the whole forest begins to migrate, sometimes at astonishing rates. Today, however, an array of obstacles—humans felling trees by the billions, invasive pests transported through global trade—threaten to overwhelm these vital movements. Worst of all, the climate is changing faster than ever before, and forests are struggling to keep up.

A deft blend of science reporting and travel writing, The Journeys of Trees explores the evolving movements of forests by focusing on five trees: giant sequoia, ash, black spruce, Florida torreya, and Monterey pine. Journalist Zach St. George visits these trees in forests across continents, finding sequoias losing their needles in California, fossil records showing the paths of ancient forests in Alaska, domesticated pines in New Zealand, and tender new sprouts of blight-resistant American chestnuts in New Hampshire. Everywhere he goes, St. George meets lively people on conservation’s front lines, from an ecologist studying droughts to an evolutionary evangelist with plans to save a dying species. He treks through the woods with activists, biologists, and foresters, each with their own role to play in the fight for the uncertain future of our environment.

An eye-opening investigation into forest migration past and present, The Journeys of Trees examines how we can all help our trees, and our planet, survive and thrive.  "

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REVIEW:

In a combination of science reporting and travel writing, St George provides a fascinating look at the history and nature of forests, how people interact with them and what the future holds for them.  An overarching theme of the book is the migration of forests (or lack thereof) from one area to another.  A delightful reading experience.

I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

I spotted this book at Netgalley and knew I had to try it out, it was the perfect book for me, and the cover looked adorable.
Sadly, while the book was pretty good, there were several things that I didn't like. But, before I start telling you what those are, I will talk about my likes.

What I liked:
-The way the book was split up in various sections. Not only will you learn about trees, but you will also learn about seasons, about animals, and about forests in parts around the world. I really loved that this was done, it made the book fun and even more interesting.
-The photography, it was such a delight to see all the gorgeous photos. I just kept looking at them.
-The fact that it used big words (normally books for kids like to keep it simple) but then carefully, and with simple words, explain what such a word means.
-I also liked the little puzzles spread across the book. Though some just didn't make much sense.

What I didn't like:
-The little illustrations dotting the book. It just felt weird, out of place, and I am very sorry to say this, but they were also ugly. Like a little kid had fun scribbling them and they decided to just add them. They were also on several of the photographs and sorry, it just kind of ruined it.
-The way the book was written. While they did do some bigger words (Yay!), everything else felt a bit too simplistic, too short. I had expected a bit more, but before you know it a part is over again and you are whisked to the next one.

All in all though it was a fun book and I did enjoy reading it. I am sure kids will also like it a lot. Even if they can't read they can still enjoy the lovely photographs that are featured in this book.

Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com

*Book source ~ A review copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

I found my interests all over the place in this very naughty collection of fairy tale retellings. While the writing is superb, there are only two stories that really float my boat and one that comes close. I love most of the illustrations, but some of the guys are a bit hairy for my tastes and there’s one illustration in Handsome and Gertrude that is…just…*shudders*.

Rapunzel ~ This is quite creative, but that ending? Poor Edward Edwards. And who names their kid that anyway? lol {5 bites}

Cinderella Story ~ Hate reality tv, but I love Amanda and Georgie. {4 bites}

In the Forests of the Night ~ Ah, this is my favorite of the bunch. {5 bites}

Handsome and Gertrude ~ I didn’t really understand this one and I couldn’t get into the story. {2 bites}

Beauty and Her Beast ~ I’m not a fan of poetry, so this is a no go for me even if it is naughty. {1 bite)

Bluebeard’s Tower ~ I have to admit that I’ve never read Bluebeard, so I ended up tracking it down after I read this. Even with no knowledge of the folktale, this is still a pleasurable read. {3 bites}

Thumbelina ~ Another one I wasn’t familiar with. I really need to brush up on my fairy tales. A little confusing (probably because I hadn’t read the original), but still enjoyable. {3 bites}

All you need to know:

It was written by Brandon Sanderson.

It has the most awesome title of any book, ever.

It's the perfect amount of creepy fun packed into an 89-page novella.

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