Canadian Wild Flowers and Emblems

Steve Pitt is a Toronto-based freelance writer and an award-winning journalist. He has written many young adult and children's books, including Day of the Flying Fox: The True Story of World War II Pilot Charley Fox.

“When it comes to being exceptional, the bladderwort earns a prize, /
it grows on top of a lake or pond, and eats bugs of any size. / As well
as keeping it afloat, the ‘bladders’ of this plant / are used to
trap the insects that fight to get free but can’t.”

The bug-eating bladderwort is one of 29 Canadian flowers celebrated in
this beautiful book. Each bloom is described in both whimsical verse and
scientific prose. With respect to the bladderwort, the text explains why
this plant, in the quest for life-giving nitrogen, has chosen the
carnivorous life instead of just sinking down roots like its cousins.
Other flowers profiled in the book include Arctic white heather, Alberta
wild rose, bleeding heart, Indian pipe, fireweed, Pacific dogwood,
pitcher plant, wild strawberries, marsh marigold, yellow pond lily, and
purple saxifrax.

The illustrations are as delightful and informative as the text.
Canadian Wild Flowers and Emblems is an excellent introduction to some
of Canada’s most beautiful natural wonders. Highly recommended.