A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds

Educator and Children's author Rebecca E. Hirsch shows off her PhD in plant biology to give us a rundown of some of the most toxic plants on our planet.

This one is short, sweet, and probably best as a physical book over the audiobook. I found the descriptions of each plant and mushroom compelling, and not just because I find plants so fascinating. But, that said, it doesn't offer much beyond the title.

A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants
By Rebecca E. Hirsch
Wow, I really enjoyed this awesome informative book! I like science, especially when mixed with exciting history and the alure of deadly poisons. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book! I hope this author writes another book with similar topics.
This book tells the reader about several plant's descriptions and where they grow. Then, she tells a true story or two about how deadly these plants are. Some stories are from hundreds of years ago and some very recent.
A drawing and description with the technical details are also shown. The reason or how the poison is harmful is broken down is also explained for the reader.
Some of the plants include show more Gympie-Gympie, Belladonna, Datura, Caster Bean, Ergot, Heartbreak Grass, Mandrake, and more.
This is definitely one of my favorite books this year. Easy to understand. Entertaining and informative regardless of the deadly topic. I also think this book would be enjoyed by middle grades to adults. I know that I would have been attracted to this book at 7th grade on up. I'm an old lady now and still enjoy learning. show less

I loved all the artwork and photos throughout this book. I found it very fun and informational. I think this was a different and fun way to give this kind of information to kids and as a teacher, I absolutely approve.

I also showed this to my own kids and they said it looked "interesting" and was "good".