Domesticated Plants and Other Mutants is a fun, informative look at how humans have domesticated plants and what we have learned in the process. From its opening challenge to the reader to write a list of all the edible vegetables they know, it goes on to explore the most common domesticated plants, how they differ from plants in the wild and how to tell the differences between them. Maps of the world show where various plants were domesticated followed by illustrations highlighting which vegetables belong to which plant family. There is even a page demonstrating how the reader can try cross-pollination themselves.
This book is engaging, and imparts knowledge in a fun yet accessible way. Big ideas and key figures like Charles Darwin and Gregor Mendel are introduced, all in the idiosyncratic voice that is a hallmark of books published by Flamboyant. There is a lovely symmetry between the text and the illustrations which are striking and humorous, underlining the words and strengthening the text on every page.
I believe this book would work well in English; the humour and quirky illustrations would certainly appeal to readers and it fits perfectly under Children’s Reference. There is an increasingly urgent need for books about the natural world that present information in an accessible, attractive manner. Domesticated Plants and Other Mutants is a perfect example, so I highly recommend this book for translation.