Flowers & Plants

What Do Roots Do?

Name: What Do Roots Do?
Author: Kathleen V. Kudlinski
ISBN: 9781559719803

by Kathleen V. Kudlinski, David Schuppert

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Overview

Now available in paperback! Kids can peek underground, dig into the wonders of roots and discover all the amazing things roots do for trees and plants. Whether children are junior gardeners or simply curious about the trees they climb and the flowers they pick, this picture book shows the side of the story they don't see-the underground story. Kids and teachers alike will love this entertaining yet informative text that features a wide array of plants found in many different regions of the country. Perfect for classroom units on botany. The simple text is accompanied by abundantly green oil-and-acrylic spreads that keep perfect step. -School Library Journal

Synopsis

Beverley Fahey - Children's Literature

It is easy to admire the form and function of a magnificent tree, a delicate flower, or spiky cactus but seldom does anyone marvel at the complex work of the roots. This rhyming picture book goes deep under the earth to explain with simplicity just how amazing roots are. Viewing the garden from above as well as below, it is apparent that different plants have different types of roots, and one can follow the path that water takes through the root and up to the thirsty foliage. The rich oil and acrylic paintings are magnificently rendered. The verse has a few awkward moments, but this small flaw is easily overlooked as the whole has more strength. It is time these unsung heroes get the recognition they deserve. 2005, Northwood, Ages 8 to 12.

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Editorials

Children's Literature

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-Unseen and unheralded, roots lead a secret life under the soil, anchoring and nourishing the leafy, spiny, flowery, fruiting bodies that soothe our eyes and shade our backyards. "Palm, pine or maple,/it always is true-/half of the tree/will be hidden from you." Kudlinski's brief rhyming text describes them, from the tiniest root hairs to the strongest taproots, sucking up the water that makes its way up the trunk, out through branches and twigs, and into the leaves and beyond. Or, in the case of some vegetables, the roots themselves become edible, such as carrots and beets. Unfortunately, the mineral nutrients carried in that water are not mentioned, nor is photosynthesis, and potatoes are tubers (which are not exactly roots). The simple text is accompanied by abundantly green oil-and-acrylic spreads that keep perfect step. While Franklyn M. Branley's golden oldie Roots Are Food Finders (HarperCollins, 1975) is far more informative, this is an appealing purchase.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Casting her text into verse to no obvious purpose or benefit, Kudlinski offers only a partial answer to the title question. Bypassing such topics as the role of roots in absorbing nutrients, how they fit into underground ecosystems and much besides, she confines herself to four points: They hold plants in place; take in water; will "probably" kill the plant if broken off; and are sometimes edible. Though his smiling young gardeners are awkwardly drawn, Schuppert does offer artfully angled cutaway views of lush flowers and foliage above, spreading root systems below-providing some visual appeal while effectively showing that there's more to plants than meets the eye. But younger naturalists will absorb more from the likes of Allan Fowler's Taking Root (2000) or the plethora of more widely focused accounts of how plants grow. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-7)