Just how tall can a tree grow? And why don’t the biggest ones topple over? Elinor and her friends figure it out! It’s field trip day! Elinor, Olive and Ari are going with their class to see some of the tallest trees in the world: giant sequoias. The friends are pretty sure the sequoias will be bigger than the trees in their neighborhood. But they never expect what they find when they walk deep into the forest and stand beside one of the largest of these giants! They can’t even see the top! How tall is this tree? How does it grow so high and so straight? And why is its trunk so wide? The friends look for clues to solve the sequoia’s mysteries ― and learn that trees and block towers have some things in common! This fun early reader graphic novel is from a series based on the Emmy-nominated PBS Kids TV show Elinor Wonders Why , created by Jorge Cham and Daniel Whiteson. It encourages young children to be curious about the world around them, and to use science skills to help them figure things out. In this story, readers are introduced to physical science topics, including structures and stability, and life science topics such as plant habitats and the needs of living things. A step-by-step activity teaches a simple method for measuring the height of a tree. Sidebars throughout contain easy-to-digest science facts and key vocabulary words’ meanings and pronunciations. The cheerful pages filled with brightly colored art and limited text make this a great series for introducing young readers to graphic novels. K-Gr 2—Why are sequoia trees so tall? How do animals use camouflage in nature? Elinor, an inquisitive white rabbit, incessantly wonders about the physical world around her in this early reader graphic novel series based on the popular PBS animated television series. Two new titles follow Elinor and her Animal Town chums—Olive, a bookworm elephant, and Ari, an enterprising bat—as they observe, ask questions, and seek answers to nature questions they encounter at school. In Forest Giants, a field trip to a grove of sequoia trees has the trio of friends searching for the secret of the big trees. The companion title, Hiding in Plain Sight, follows Elinor, Olive, and Ari as they learn about animal camouflage. Digitally rendered artwork presents a pastel watercolor look to the background, framing the mix of square, splash, circular, and multiple panels on each page. Panel narrative blocks present special information—such as place and time—to readers. Thought bubbles reveal problem-solving ideas. Some frames depict panoramic views so viewers can judge scale (the sequoia trees in comparison to the school bus). Other frames feature close-ups that zoom in on a character and their discovery (Elinor looking at a katydid). Challenge panels are included that spotlight vocabulary words and science facts. The back matter includes thoughtful nature experiments and observation challenges. VERDICT An adorable media tie-in graphic novel series that encourages children and their special grown-ups to use science inquiry skills while observing the glorious world around them.—Rita Baguio Christensen An adorable media tie-in graphic novel series that encourages children and their special grown-ups to use science inquiry skills while observing the glorious world around them.― School Library Journal Young children will enjoy having Elinor Wonders Why, Forest Giants read to them ... This book could be used in a unit learning about the scientific method and also about the biodiversity of forests.― CM Magazine Jorge Cham is an engineer-turned-cartoonist, writer and producer. He is the creator of the web comic strip Piled Higher and Deeper (PHD Comics), which he started as a graduate student at Stanford University. Together with Daniel Whiteson, Jorge created and produces the PBS KIDS series Elinor Wonders Why. Jorge and Daniel have also co-written two books for adults, We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe and Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe, and they host the podcast Jorge and Daniel Explain the Universe on iHeartRadio. Jorge's debut middle-grade series, Oliver and the Great Big Universe, is forthcoming from Abrams. Jorge lives in California. Daniel Whiteson is a professor of physics at the University of California, Irvine. Together with Jorge Cham, Daniel created and produces the PBS KIDS series Elinor Wonders Why. Daniel and Jorge have also co-written two books for adults, We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe and Frequently Asked Questions About the Universe, and they host the podcast Jorge and Daniel Explain the Universe on iHeartRadio. Daniel lives in California.