Poetrees: First Review!

Poetrees has received its first review, an "exquisite" one from School Library Journal:

FLORIAN, Douglas. Poetrees. illus. by author. 48p. glossary. CIP. S & S/Beach Lane Bks. Mar. 2010. RTE $16.99. ISBN 978-1-4169-8672-0. LC 2009003025.
Gr 3-6–Florian focuses on trees (seeds, bark, leaves, roots, and tree rings) and introduces readers to 13 species from around the world. An oversize, double-page illustration accompanies each poem. Some are read lengthwise, which enables the artist to highlight the awesome height and size of trees. The selections are accessible and concise, with child-friendly wordplay and artful design: of the “spreading,” “treading,” “always-outward-heading” banyan tree, Florian concludes: “It’s not a tree–/It’s a forest!” The primitive illustrations–crafted on “primed paper bags” using mixed media including gouache watercolor paints, colored pencils, rubber stamps, oil pastels, and collage–range in nuance from whimsy to mystery and reverence. In “The Seed,” Florian highlights the symmetry of trees by laying out the short text in a figure eight, an eternity symbol; this dovetails neatly with the overall theme of recycling and renewal. He concludes with a “Glossatree,” a thumbnail sketch of each tree, and an author’s note and sources. This exquisite collection, with its thoughtful wordplay and timely subject, rewards careful reading and should resonate with a wide audience.–Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA

And here is the poem on the paper birch tree, native to America and known by at least three names. It usually grows where it's c-c-cold.

Paper Birch

Paper birch.

White birch.

Canoe birch too.

Beautiful

Native

Tree to view.

Smooth white birch bark.

Grows where it's cold.

Paper birrrrrrrrrrrrrch:

A sight to behold.

poem Paper Birch and image copyright 2010 by Douglas Florian