A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants
Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds
“Should you encounter any of the plants in this book, do not treat them lightly. They can kill you. Or cause you unbearable agony. Or land you in jail. Consider yourself warned.”
Explore the strange and remarkable stories of poisonous and even deadly plants.
Science, history, and true crime converge in an informative and exciting look at Mother’s Nature’s ghoulish garden. From a hallucinogenic fungus linked to the Salem Witch Trials to the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln’s mother, learn how certain plants evolved toxicity to avoid being consumed by predators and became the predator on their own.
In A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds author Rebecca Hirsch takes you on a wild journey to look at how toxic chemicals in the natural world have been used for medicine, warfare, and sinister acts of foul play. Tread lightly as we explore these plants’ ominous deeds.
| Format | Your Price | Add |
|---|---|---|
|
978-1-7284-9328-2
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$28.99 | |
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979-8-7656-2524-8
Temporarily out of stock
|
$18.99 | |
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979-8-7656-1953-7
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$43.99 |
| Interest Level | Grade 7 - Grade 12 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 8 |
| Genre | Science, Young Adult |
| Category | 5 Kinds of Nonfiction, 5KN: Narrative Nonfiction, STEM, STEM: Life Science/Health and Human Body, STEM: Life Science/Plants, STEM: Technology |
| Copyright | 2024 |
| Publisher | Lerner Publishing Group |
| Imprint | Zest Books ™ |
| Language | English |
| Number of Pages | 200 |
| Publication Date | 2024-10-22 |
| Text Type | Narrative Nonfiction |
|---|---|
| BISACS | YAN050040, YAN051050, YAN024030 |
| Dewey | 581.6/59 |
| Dimensions | 5.5 x 8.25 |
| Features | Afterword, Appendix, Author/Illustrator biography, Author/Illustrator note, Awards, Bibliography/further reading, Charts/Graphs/Diagrams, Glossary, Index, Introductory note, Original artwork, Reviewed, Source notes, Starred Reviews, Table of contents, Teaching Guides, and eSource |
Author: Rebecca E. Hirsch
Rebecca E. Hirsch is an award- winning children’s author with a PhD in plant biology. Her picture books include Plants Can’t Sit Still and Night Creatures: Animals That Swoop, Crawl, and Creep while You Sleep. She lives with her husband and three children in State College, Pennsylvania. You can visit her online at rebeccahirsch.com.
Lerner eSource™ offers free digital teaching and learning resources, including Common Core State Standards (CCSS) teaching guides. These guides, created by classroom teachers, offer short lessons and writing exercises that give students specific instruction and practice using Common Core skills and strategies. Lerner eSource also provides additional resources including online activities, downloadable/printable graphic organizers, and additional educational materials that would also support Common Core instruction. Download, share, pin, print, and save as many of these free resources as you like!
A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants
“Should you encounter any of the plants in this book, do not treat them lightly. They can kill you. Or cause you unbearable agony. Or land you in jail. Consider yourself warned.” Explore the strange and remarkable stories of poisonous and even View available downloads →
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A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: An Interview with Author Rebecca E. Hirsch
For the fans of science, history, and gothic horror, A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds entertains and informs with profiles on nature’s deadliest plants. The gorgeously intricate illustrations by Eugenia Nobati set the tone for a wild journey into… View →
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Awards
- School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
- Kirkus Best Teen/YA of 2024
Reviews
Shelf Awareness
“A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants is a deeply interesting and informative YA book that will appeal to those who dance with danger and those curious about the science of deadly plants.”—Shelf Awareness
The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
“Each chapter opens with a full page, gorgeously rendered illustration of a plant in all its glory, set against a sepia-toned background that evokes a well-used, old-fashioned guidebook, and captioned photos throughout bring added appeal. While the organization makes this eminently browsable, it’s possible readers just won’t put it down.”—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Foreword Reviews
“Beautiful color photographs and drawings throughout the book make the plants easy to identify and bring their use throughout history into vivid focus. A memorable, enjoyable reference book, A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants combines often gruesome historical anecdotes with edifying botany lessons.”—Foreword Reviews
Booklist
“Promising “myth, mayhem, and murder,” this diabolical botanical guide delivers on all fronts . . . Deliciously macabre and almost conspiratorial in tone, Hirsch’s coverage is nicely rounded, pulling in traditional uses of many of these plants, some of which have medicinal treatments in small doses."—Booklist
Kirkus Reviews
“The striking page design evokes a strong sense of the macabre and is reminiscent of dark academia . . . An engaging, visually appealing guide for science buffs, true-crime enthusiasts, and herbalists alike.”—starred, Kirkus Reviews