Did you know that skunk cabbage roots look like pale, ropy space aliens? Would you like to learn to make maple syrup from bigleaf maple sap? How about some rose-petal honey for your next tea party?
The author of A Kid’s Guide to Plants of the Pacific Northwest shares knowledge gleaned from years in the field, working with young people at her outdoor school on Denman Island, British Columbia.
The book opens with an acknowledgment of the Indigenous peoples of the coast from Alaska to northern California, and the vital relationships that Indigenous people have formed with this land and its plants since time immemorial. The author revisits this topic throughout the book, highlighting Indigenous stewardship of specific plants, from cattail to camas.
Subsequent chapters introduce readers to plant names (Indigenous, common, and scientific), the ethics of gathering, plant families, plant guilds (also known as plant communities), poisonous plants, and invasive plants.
The groundwork in place, Joly presents a dazzling array of plant profiles, arranged seasonally for ease of use. Each profile includes surprising facts about the plant, an activity or recipe to try, and a mix of photographs and sketches that reflect the joy and wonder she and her students feel as they get to know these plants better.
This book is on my gift list for any young person in the region, but it’s not just for kids and families. Anyone who loves plants is likely to be charmed by this book and learn something in the process.
Reviewed by Laura Blumhagen in The Leaflet, December 2024, Volume 11, Issue 12.