Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday-Tree of Wonder by Kate Messner

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Tree of Wonder: The Many Marvelous Lives of a Rainforest Tree

by Kate Messner

Illustrated by Simona Mulazanni

Published August 2015

Chronicle Books

36 Pages

This is one nonfiction book with so many possibilities. First, it teaches about how important one tree is to the many lives that depend on it for survival. The animals that depend on the tree are not ordinary animals that most children have probably heard of before. They will learn about howler monkeys, dart frog and rusty wandering spiders just to name a few. This book could be a mentor text for many science lessons including how animals and plants depend on one another. Along with the simple text on each page, there is a more in-depth description of the animals in the bottom corner. 

Then there is the mathematical aspect of the book. It starts off with 2 green macaws that live in the tree, rest in its branches and eat its fruit. Then, each time a new animal is discussed, the number doubles. It ends with 1,024 leaf cutter ants. Each number is displayed with small black pictures of the animal in an array. 

The pictures are amazingly done! Kids will enjoy examining them closely to look at the animals. 

I would recommend Tree of Wonder for ages 6-12. 

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