The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin, by Peter Sis (Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 2002, 44 pp, ages 6-10) My enchantment with Sis’s work, based on previous encounters (The Wall, Nicky & Vera, Three Golden Keys, Starry Messenger), made this book a must-have when I chanced upon it (for $3, Very Good!). Beyond that, my acquaintance with Darwin is embarrassingly slight, and Sis offered easy access. His intricate illustration style, merging text with detailed images, may be out of vogue. But I love books that reward repeated returns and close examination with a wealth of facts and information. (For a different style with similar effect check out author-illustrator Melissa Sweet, A River of Words, Just the Right Word, Celia Planted a Garden, Some Writer! and more.)
