Tree of Life: The Incredible Biodiversity of Life on Earth

Alice Kidd is an editor with The New Catalyst editorial collective in
Lillooet, B.C.

Rochelle Strauss has used the metaphor of “family tree” to introduce
children to biodiversity. She walks us through our human pedigree, from
kingdom to species, showing all our other relatives along the way. Each
of the five kingdoms opens with a brief description of the group, its
typical habitats, food sources, role in food chains, importance for
humans, and numbers of species. The animal kingdom is introduced in
greater detail: animals to vertebrates to mammals to primates to humans.


The basic layout is simple: a series of two-page spreads sandwiched
between a table of contents at the beginning and several supporting
chapters at the end, including an index. Three closing
chapters—“Changes to the Tree of Life,” “Becoming Guardians of
the Tree of Life,” and “Notes to Parents, Teachers, and
Guardians”—champion the preservation of biodiversity on Earth.

Each chapter is beautifully illustrated with clear, detailed drawings
of a few individuals of the species under discussion. Sidebars and
labels give brief introductions to each image. Continuing the tree
metaphor, each organism appears on a leaf of the tree that fills the
pages of the book. Tucked between the leaves and branches are a few
humorous drawings of humans.

Tree of Life is a brief but valuable introduction to biodiversity and
taxonomy. Highly recommended.