Books in Oak tree tales series

A venerable saguaro cactus stands like a statue in the hot desert landscape, its armlike branches reaching fifty feet into the air. From a distance it appears to be completely still and solitary--but appearances can be deceptive. In fact, this giant tree of the desert is alive with activity. Its spiny trunk and branches are home to a surprising number of animals, and its flowers and fruit feed many desert dwellers. Gila woodpeckers and miniature elf owls make their homes inside the saguaro's trunk. Long-nosed bats and fluttering white doves drink the nectar from its showy white flowers. People also play a role in the saguaro's story: each year the Tohono O'odham Indians gather its sweet fruit in a centuries-old harvest ritual. In this first volume of Sierra Club Books' Tree Tales series, a simple, easy-to-read text and appealing drawings document the life cycle of this amazing cactus tree and the creatures it helps to support. Readers will come away with a better understanding of and a lasting respect for this accomodating giant of the desert.

The world of the old-growth forest is teeming with life, from the flicker of a bluebird among the branches to the rustling of tiny mice in the underbrush. With its lyrical prose and vivid watercolor paintings, ANCIENT ONES will inspire reverence and awe in readers of all ages for the last of the old-growth Douglas firs and the intricate web of life that they support.

"Dramatic watercolor illustrations . . . and an engaging text make this another outstanding nature title by the author of Desert Giant. Bash describes the life cycle of a tree that lives on the African savannah and the insects, birds, adn animals that rely on it for home, food, and survival. . . . The illustrations . . . are breathtaking." --Kirkus, pointer review "Complementing Bash's calligraphic text are stunning watercolor illustrations [in which] she beautifully portrays the sparse African landscape. . . . A subject rarely treated in picture book format, this will make a beautiful introduction to the African ecosystem." --Booklist, starred review

Two titles from Barbara Bash's highly acclaimed "Tree Tales" series are available for the first time in paperback! In a brilliant combination of lyrical prose and glowing watercolors, each book documents the lifecycle of the world's great trees and reveals its importance to the many life forms that flourish beneath and within its welcoming branches. In Ancient Ones,, Bash captures the ongoing drama not only of the Douglas fir but of the old-growth forest itself. The book "beautifully affirms the concept of a cycle of life," wrote Publishers Weekly in a starred review. "A wondrous walk trhough an old-growth forest," said School Library Journal, in another starred review. "Reading Ancient Ones is the next best thing to being there."

"A fascinating look at the social, spiritual, and ecological significance of the banyan tree in the life of an Indian village. . . . A harmonius story, written out in calligraphy and warmly, colorfully illustrated." --Kirkus Reviews, pointer reviews "At once a work of inspired botanical lore and a portrait of the ageless rhythms of the subcontinent." --Smithsonian, Notable Book for Children "The exotic banyan tree teems with life through the day and night, and captivated readers are drawn into the wonderland." --American Bookseller, Pick of the Lists "Luminous." --Booklist