Joan Maloof

This book celebrates the role of trees in our lives and in the ecology of their diverse habitats. Written by a scientist and a teacher, it footnotes a few references but these are as likely to refer to poets as to research studies. Maloof is not afraid to be personal, to tell us of her own attachment to trees, from the tulip poplar she climbed as a child to the loblolly pines perched in by eagles she watches. She links our interactions with trees to our wellness as a people, allowing the elder "grandfather' trees to live out their days, planting our children's placenta by the roots of a guardian tree. I would love to attend her classroom to hear her talk in the personal style she uses in her writing.
Most chapters address a specific tree species and introduce us to the insects, caterpillars, bird, and animals whose lives are dependant on it. As a subtext, she makes a plea for protection for trees, for viewing them as more than a mere commodity.
While most people would assume this book is meant for adults, I think it would be equally valued by intelligent middle schoolers and high schoolers who are searching for their purpose in life, who might be swayed by this author telling them there is still much we don't know about the world around us.… (meer)