I really did love this combination of interesting facts about plants, trees, and animals linked to the author’s memories.
Nezhukumatathil begins the book describing a catalpa tree, a tree that she links to her memories of living in Kansas while her mother worked at a hospital. Most of the animals and plant/trees she recalls are often linked to her constant moving as a child and then from her moves as an adult with her husband and two sons. Some of the memories linked are sad, some are joyful, and the one where she describes getting to hold an octopus (as it dies) in her hands definitely made me sad.
I think the illustrations were fantastic as well and I liked getting to see a description of the thing that she was going to describe. I have to say my favorite illustrations were the firefly and the vampire squid. FYI, the vampire squid is an odd looking thing that looks like it has bat wings at the bottom of it. I was fascinated by that illustration for a minute.
All in all, a great book about the natural world with ties to the author’s memories.