Tree A LIFE STORY ~ a charming little book telling the story of a single tree:  a Douglas Fir ~

"...but it could be any tree... All trees attest to the wonder of evolution, the ability of life to adapt to unexpected challenges and to perpetuate itself over vast periods of time.
Rooted securely in the earth, trees reach toward the heavens.  All across the planet, trees ~ in a wonderful profusion of form and function ~ literally hold the world together.  Their leaves receive the Sun's energy for the benefit of all terrestrial creatures and transpire torrents of water vapor into the atmosphere.  Their branches and trunks provide shelter, food, and habitat for mammals, birds, amphibians, insects, and other plants.  And their roots anchor the mysterious underworld of rock and soil.  Trees are among Earth's longest-lived organisms; their lives span periods of time that extend far beyond our existence, experience, and memory.  Trees are remarkable beings.  Yet they stand like extras in life's drama, also familiar and omnipresent that we barely take notice of them."

~ From the introduction of Tree A LIFE STORY, David Suzuki & Wayne Grady.  Art by Robert Bateman.