A wonderful book that teaches you to look really closely at trees and to look often, as they are constantly changing. The pictures alone are wonderful, but the text, alternately poetic and practical,make it a book not to be missed ( )

This is easily the most visually enthralling book I have read in years. The text alone is enough to merit high praise. Hugo's detailed, vivid descriptions of the minute things to look for when seeing trees are delightful and educational. I took my time reading it, so I could savor a few pages at a time. But Llewellyn's stunning, close-up photographs (all composed against a white background for maximum visibility) elevate the book into the rarity of a book that must be owned in a physical form. No e-book can do it justice. I cannot recommend this highly enough, even for those with only a casual interest in trees and the outdoors. ( )

I haven't read the text, but checked this book out from the library just for its beautiful photos--leaves and fruits and flowers and pinecones and seeds and barks, all photographed up close and often with a white back-ground. The first half of the book talks about taking a closer look at various features of trees, and the second half focuses on 10 specific trees (tulip poplar, eastern red cedar, gingko, etc.)--a more in-depth look at the seasonal processes of each. All of it is beautifully illustrated with large full-color photos.

If you're looking for large, clear pictures of leaves and tree parts this is an excellent source. If you want photos of whole trees, see also [b:Wise Trees|34227602|Wise Trees|Diane Cook|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501710632l/34227602._SX50_.jpg|55281353] [bc:Wise Trees|34227602|Wise Trees|Diane Cook|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1501710632l/34227602._SX50_.jpg|55281353] ( )

discover the extraordinary secrets of everyday trees

This is fine, for what it is.... which is mainly a coffee table book that isn't really meant to be read cover to cover but meant to be looked at and flipped through. The writing is nicely conversational, but it does get tedious when Hugo describes details of trees that would be much better expressed in the photographs. She even says at one point that describing bark is really hard, and then goes on to try to describe the bark of a bunch of trees.

But all of that aside, this is a pleasant and informative book about the joys of observing trees in detail. ( )