The Witness Trees: Historic Moments and the Trees Who Watched Them Happen by Ryan G. Van Cleave (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Witness Trees: Historic Moments and the Trees Who Watched Them Happen by Ryan G. Van Cleave Kate Quealy-Gainer, Editor Van Cleave, Ryan G. The Witness Trees: Historic Moments and the Trees Who Watched Them Happen; illus. by Đốm Đốm. Bushel & Peck, 2023 [3256p] Trade ed. ISBN 9781638191254 $19.99 Reviewed from digital galleys R Gr. 2-6 "Our roots run deep. They grip history, a restless forever," explains our Witness Tree narrator, noting that these designated trees have seen historical events, keeping [End Page 270] record of the past in the whorls of their trunks. The Bodhi Tree shaded Siddhartha as he found enlightenment; a Flower of Kent dropped the fated apple for Sir Isaac Newton; a honey locust on the fields of the Battle of Gettysburg watched blood sink into the soil; hackberry, gingko, and black pines "swallowed the heatflash of a thousand suns" in Hiroshima; the Callery Pear tree remained tall as the Twin Towers fell; and the Big Tree of Rockport, Texas withstood the howling winds of Hurricane Harvey. Van Cleave's decision to pull on both legend and historical fact works to the book's advantage here, underscoring the idea that trees are witness not just to events in human history but also to the narratives we create around them in our attempts to shape an unpredictable world into orderly stories. The trees have no need for such order, anchored solidly into the earth, and the somber tone and poetic text have an aloof thoughtfulness—not coldly emotionless but distant enough to see an arc of wonder in the progress of the world. The smooth, balanced digital illustrations showcase each tree, paired with a thumbnail note of more specific details, expanding upon the imagistic prose. This would pair nicely with Bunting's The Gentle Genius of Trees (BCCB 12/22) for a comprehensive look at the biology and history of our foresty friends. Copyright © 2023 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois