The Tree Key: A Guide to Identification in Garden, Field, and Forest: 77 Genera Including 235 Species

I checked this book out from the library and fell in love with it, so when it came time to return the book I promptly ordered my own copy. Edlin's writing is clear and easy to understand, and there is a nice section at the start of the book that tells about how to recognize different trees, which ones flower before they leaf and vice versa, and other important details. I have a small Audubon book with photos and brief descriptions of common trees of America, but though Edlin's book is not much larger it really packs in much more information, and sometimes illustrations can show more than photos. The drawings for each type of tree include different seasons and show detail of things like the buds, flowers, and leaves. The one drawback of The Tree Key is that if you want information on a very specific tree, you may not be able to find it as he takes one representative of the group (white willow, for instance) as an example and does not give as much information about other types. But for my purposes - research, learning and enjoyment - I have found this book a real treasure. I am using it as a reference for a novel I am writing which deals with trees.