The Secret World of Plants by Ben Hoare explores the plant kingdom through the unique stories of over 100 amazing plants. Written for children ages 7-9 in grades 2-4, the book includes a wide range of plants from all over the world and covers the basic life processes of plants as well as their relationship with each other and animals, including man. Close up photographs and illustrations enhance the text and tidbits spark curiosity and interest.
After a brief introduction to the characteristics of plants and their basic biology, the content is divided into 6 groups based on structure: leaves, stems and trunks, roots and bulbs, flowers, fruits and cones, and seeds and nuts. The section on leaves introduces the readers to primitive plants like phytoplankton, liverworts, cycads, and tree ferns, and culminates with descriptions of plants with more complex leaves like the Monkey puzzle tree, prayer plant, and Venus flytrap. In subsequent sections we learn that horsetail stems contain silica, clover roots house bacteria that absorb nitrogen to help the plant grow, and that the largest flower on earth smells like a dead animal. After reading about fruits and seeds, readers know that most wild bananas are pollinated by bats and that the squirting cucumber can fire seeds 20′ away.
Packed with details about plants, The Secret World of Plants combines scientific facts with folksy information to educate readers as well as inspire an appreciation for their diversity and the many benefits they provide to our lives. The writing style is clear and complex concepts are simplified. The mixture of photographs and illustrations works well to explain the text and heighten the unique nature of the plants. The book itself is eye-catching with its vibrant colors, beautiful design, and gilded edges. A glossary, index, and world map locating some of the most spectacular and unusual plants conclude the work.
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