Treemendous: Diary of a Not Yet Mighty Oak

Told in a gently humorous first-person perspective, this narrative nonfiction tale follows an anthropomorphic “teeny tiny acorn” as it grows into a mighty oak among its family of 10,000 trees, who live in a diverse forest that includes walnuts, florals, and pines. As the acorn is squirreled away in the dirt and begins to grow, Heos employs an eager conversational voice to share the tree’s maturation process, including sprouting roots and photosynthesis: “Like magic, the sunlight changes the water and carbon dioxide into sugar.... Sweet!” Expressive digital illustrations by Ciccotello portray the acorn and its brethren with facial features, while clearly depicted root systems and labeled diagrams give the art an educational heft that’s just right for new nonfiction readers. Back matter includes sources and additional resources. Ages 3–7. [em](Mar.) [/em]