What Do Roots, Stems, Leaves, and Flowers Do? (The World of Plants)

Flowers are more than just beautiful, fragrant objects for our enjoyment. Pink petals, green stems, dark unfurling leaves: though we have seen them countless times, do we truly know what they are there for? In this title, readers will learn in detail the many parts of a plant.

Gr 2-4-In specific, methodical language (with rare fumbles: "When the animal then goes to the bathroom some time later, the seeds leave its body..."), Owen offers solidly informative explanations of how plants nourish themselves, grow, and reproduce. What Do Roots, Stems, Leaves, and Flowers Do? serves as an overview of topics covered in greater detail in the other volumes and a useful introduction to plants in general. Each volume features a mix of close-up color photos ranging from standard views of pollen-encrusted bumblebees to rare glimpses of a fly peering out through the "bars" of a Venus flytrap and a tropical pitcher plant claimed to be big enough to entrap rats. Each also ends with directions for two relatively inexpensive "investigations" that are well designed to extend and enrich understanding of the content. That some of that material overlaps does not affect the overall value of this series for assignment use and serious inquiry.α(c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.