We are living in a situation, where we have to think about how to care for and save our environment on planet Earth. This superb BBC Earth series picture book is about various plants growing around the world.
In the beginning, we can read about the tropical world, which is richly inhabited by different plants. The most interesting are carnivorous plants that catch bugs into their deadly trap. These are crafty pitcher plants. The Rafflesia is also a fascinating plant. It can be found in the forest of Borneo and it has the largest individual flowers in the world. Another name for this plant is corpse flower, since its blooms reek of rotting flesh.
There are interesting plants in the desert as well. While plants in the rainforst battle for light, they fight for water in the desert. In Zimbabwe we can find baobab tree, that can live for thousands of years, storing water in its trunk.
The water world is also amazing. There are giant water lilies in Pantanal, Brazil. Its leaves are over two meters wide and they smother anything in their path. Despite this, their blossoms are beautiful.
Unfortunately, plants are disappearing fast – around 600 plant species have gone extinct in the last 250 years. So we have to deal with this issue.
In the end of the book we can find some tips on how to help our planet flourish. It is said that letting grass grow wild in parks and gardens is beneficial. Using less chemicals on the plants and replanting more forests also helps to preserve our green planet.
In this book we can find superb illustrations. The pictures on the pages concerning the water world, where we can admire white and rose water lilies, are especially lovely.
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Published: Puffin, 2022
Illustrated: Kim Smith
Check from the e-catalogue ESTER
Katrin Antonenko
Department of Literature in Foreign Languages