Arboretum: Welcome to the Museum by Katie Scott, Tony Kirkham
ISBN: 1536235016
Genres: Non-Fiction
Format: Picture Book Nonfiction
Source: MSL Book Review
Goodreads

The latest edition of the Welcome to the Museum series is Arboretum with illustrations by the talented Katie Scott with writing by Royal Kew Gardens Arborist, Tony Kirkham.  Arboretum is an oversized children’s non-fiction book that celebrate the many different biomes on our planet, the vast variety of trees that populate them, and their extraordinary role they play in our ecosystem.

The first few pages introduce us to a color coded map of the Earth to show the different biomes; a page titled “What is a Tree?” showing the main components of what makes up a tree, “How Trees Communicate,” describing the complex root system that trees rely on to survive, and “The First Trees” describes the prehistoric trees that pre-date humans, and ones that still exist. The rest of the content in the book are specific trees and their habitats with stunning illustrations that show the intricate details of their trunks, leaves, branches, fruit, and buds.

The oversized nature of this book paired with the stunning illustrations and the curated words of Tony Kirkham is where this book really shines. The key-to-plate infographic is something that feels a bit disorganized, as do some other areas of the book, which might fatigue a young reader. The back cover notes that this book is meant for ages 8-12+, but I would argue that this book would work best for ages 10+. Otherwise, this book is strikingly beautiful and a real treasure for tree enthusiasts.

Reviewed by Gia Charles, Patten Free Library, Bath