Redwoods by Jason Chin: Blending Non-fiction and Fiction through Words and Illustrations

When on vacation last week in the San Francisco Bay Area, we ventured to Muir Woods in Marin County.  It happens to be one of my most favorite places, not only because of the majestic beauty of the trees but the amazing scent.  I wish I could buy a bottle of that scent to fill my Brooklyn apartment with.  It can't even be described.

So, with a hope and a prayer of finding such a bottle of scented heaven, I wandered into the Gift Shop.  I didn't find a way to bring home the aroma, but what I did find was quite a treat.

Sitting on the shelf with other books was a picture book called "Redwoods" by a fellow Brooklynite, Jason Chin.  I opened it up and immediately fell in love.




What struck me is that this book is non-fiction, yet totally fiction at the same time.  The words tell a very dry, fact-filled non-fiction account of the trees.  Yet, the illustrations take the reader on the most magnificent journey.

A small boy finds a book about redwood trees on the platform of the NYC Subway.  He picks it up, hops on the F Train and starts reading.  With each page turn he literally becomes more and more involved with the words until he exits the station and finds himself in a redwood forest. 

Taken alone, the words are very textbook.  But adding the illustrations makes this non-fiction book sing! 

I have never attempted a non-fiction picture book, however, I urge anyone who has or might someday want to, to take a look at "Redwoods" by Jason Chin.

“The story in the illustrations shows in lovely metaphor how a tiny seed of information can take root in a fertile mind and grow into a strong, fire- and disease-resistant, redwood-sized understanding.” —Los Angeles Times

“Chin’s watercolor illustrations capture both the majesty of the redwoods and the young boy’s inquisitive personality, and while the idea of a storybook so vivid that it comes to life is not new, what sets this one apart is that Chin has paired his fantastical visual narrative with a straightforward nonfiction text.” —Starred,Horn Book

“The straightforward narrative is given enormous energy by the inventive format and realistic watercolor illustrations—their soft edges and muted hues suit the mist-shrouded giants. Chin adeptly captures the singular and spectacular nature of redwoods in this smartly layered book.”—Starred, Publishers Weekly