The Encyclopedia Of Rootical Folklore by Natty Mark Samuels

This A–Z treasury of story and verse follows plants across Africa and the diaspora as they help humans heal, create, and celebrate.

A baobab tree misses his old friend Birago Diop, a poet of the Négritude movement. Basil comes to the rescue for a woman who’s had a rough day. On moonlit evenings in a square in Kingston, kids gather round a Rasta elder to hear tales of dates, guava, and the orishas—Yoruba divinities—linked to each plant.

The 88 entries, each accompanied by botanical information, blend age-old lore and modern sensibility to bring the plants of Africa and the Caribbean to life. Includes a glossary, multilingual species index, and references. With collage illustrations by Nancey B. Price.