The Stuff That Is Made of: Things We Make with Plants

Children's Book Council's 2026 Librarian Favorite Jonathan Drori brings life to the science of 30 plants, revealing how their worlds are entwined with our own in this beautiful one-of-a-kind family book. Did you know that there's seaweed in ice cream, cork in spacecraft and dandelion in truck tires? Have you wondered how paper or thread are made, or why the mandrake is so mysterious? Meticulously researched and beautifully illustrated, this book of wonder gives a young reader the knowledge of how the things we use every day are born from natural materials, and the surprising stories behind their creation. Discover how: -Dandelions can turn into tires -Papyrus is pressed into paper -Cacao becomes chocolate -Baobab trees transform into rope -Cotton is spun into banknotes -Bamboo helps people as well as pandas -And much more! With 30 beautifully crafted stories throughout history and from all around the world, this book entwines plant science with human history and technology and is a beautiful botanical gift to explore and treasure for readers 7-70 years.