The illustrations, by Emily Walker, a Seattle native now living in California, are well-suited for the general tenor of the book, providing interpretation for the text.\u00a0 I think this book\u2019s biggest appeal will be to those that are not especially familiar with trees.\u00a0 It would make a great holiday gift to that family member you want to get interested in the Arboretum!\u00a0 Keffer is talented at invoking a scene:<\/p>\n \u201cJumping in a pile of leaves is a time-honored tradition.\u00a0 As leaves pile up like confetti on the ground, though, don\u2019t feel pressured to rake them all up.\u201d\u00a0 The author goes on to explain the advantage of leaving at least some leaves, concluding, \u201cafter you enjoy nature\u2019s fall fireworks display, save your back and your backyard by leaving the leaves.\u201d<\/p>\n Reviewed by: Brian Thompson on August 19, 2024<\/p>\n Excerpted from the Fall 2024 issue of the Arboretum Bulletin<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A light approach to introducing trees can be found in \u201cKnowing the Trees\u201d by Ken Keffer.\u00a0 This book is a delightful collection of short anecdotes and observations about North American trees. These range from how the trees function, to how humans and other creatures interact with them.\u00a0 A few individual species are highlighted, such as the threats to the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) or the near elimination of the American chestnut (Castanea dentata), but overall this is a celebration of…<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/depts.washington.edu\/hortlib\/wordpress\/wp-content\/uploads\/1680515527.01.MZZZZZZZ.jpg\")
Many of the stories are about animals.\u00a0 A section titled \u201cLitter Critters\u201d highlights the ovenbird, a type of warbler that builds complex nests in the forest duff, or the wood frogs that that survive in leaf litter over winter.\u00a0 \u201cEvolutionary Anachronism\u201d suggests that the Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera<\/em>) was likely spread historically by long extinct mastodons.\u00a0 While that role has been somewhat replaced by horses, the distribution of the tree is now much more restricted.<\/p>\n