Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S.

A spectacular poster-sized book that illustrates the family connections between the plants around us, deepening our appreciation of nature. Much like our own family, plant families share characteristics, often in the arrangement of their flowers, leaves, and stems. In this oversized book, acclaimed botanical artist Wendy Hollender depicts 24 plant families most commonly encountered in the garden and in the wild. Her superb full-page illustrations, featuring subjects rendered from life in colour pencil and watercolour, help us visualise the sometimes surprising connections between different plants—for example, between the zinnia, the dandelion, and romaine lettuce, all members of the sunflower family, Asteraceae. For each family, Hollender’s lively writings aided by additional illustrations highlight the similarities between family members, and describe her adventures in collecting the subjects (from her backyard garden to the Hawaiian wilderness). Guest essays from a variety of distinguished contributors—including Marta McDowell, the best-selling garden writer; Susan Pell, executive director of the US Botanic Garden; and Dina Falconi, the well-known clinical herbalist—lend fascinating perspectives on the featured plant families. The Album of Plant Families will be the ultimate gift for all gardeners, foragers, and nature lovers.

Get ready for the 2026 World Cup with the Stars of World Soccer—the best-selling guide to today’s most exciting players, completely revised and updated. What does it take to be at the top of the game? Learn how today’s best players made it in this exciting book, which features short biographies of 28 of the greatest soccer players on the field—from superstars like Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé to exciting newcomers like Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian, and other goalkeepers, defenders, midfielders, and attackers. With the colourful graphics and key stats that fans have come to expect from the critically acclaimed Abbeville Sports series, Stars of World Soccer will be sure to captivate all young soccer devotees.

Get ready for the Winter Olympics with this exciting book about the greatest women figure skaters of all time.With their flying spins and graceful leaps over the ice, figure skaters exemplify what it means to be an athlete and an artist. Legends of Women’s Figures Skating features short biographies of 28 of the greatest women figure skaters of all time, from pioneers like Sonja Henie and Carol Heiss; to the American legends of the ’90s, such as Tara Lipinski and Michelle Kwan; to the rising stars of today, like Amber Glenn and Alysa Liu. Filled with colourful photos, fascinating stories, and key stats, this book will inspire both passionate fans and aspiring figure skaters.

Discover the esoteric insights and enchanting imagery of the Baroque emblem book, a long-lost cousin of the tarot.The emblem book, which reached the peak of its popularity in the 16th and 17th centuries, presented mysterious allegorical images—rather like those we now find on tarot cards—alongside Latin mottoes. A learned text explained the connection between image and motto, and the lessons each emblem held for the reader’s life. Drawing on sources such as medieval bestiaries and Aesop’s fables, emblem books reflected an enchanted view of nature in which our human lives were intertwined with plants, animals, the moon and the stars. World-renowned natural perfumer Mandy Aftel first encountered emblem books in the course of her researches into antique botanical illustrations, and quickly became entranced. Here she presents 100 emblems from perhaps the finest emblem book, the Symbolorum et Emblematum of Camerarius, originally published in four parts between 1590 and 1604. Aftel has sensitively tinted in watercolour the bewitching circular engravings of the Symbolorum, in which giant hands reach from the sky; lions, bears, and unicorns gambol; and distant spires beckon. The mottoes and explanatory texts are given in translation from the original Latin, along with Aftel’s own commentary. An illustrated introduction illuminates the history and magic of emblem book. Symbolorum will be a treasure for anyone who is drawn to uncover ancient wisdom and feel the breath of the universe.

From the photographer of Ancient Trees, a tribute to the best-loved tree of all: the oak.The oak: One of nature’s most majestic creations, sacred to Zeus and Thor, capable of living for a thousand years. But also a familiar friend, the landmark of childhood backyards and parks, host to tree-houses and swings, provider of welcome shade.In this beautiful volume, published in the same oversize square format as her best seller Ancient Trees ISBN 9780789211958, America’s foremost tree portraitist, Beth Moon, pays tribute to the oak. She captures every stage of its life cycle, from the acorn to the seedling to the sapling. Most of her hand-tinted full-page photographs, however, are devoted to mature oaks of the United States and the United Kingdom—both anonymous specimens whose gnarled, leafy personalities reveal themselves to her sensitive eye and famous trees with their own names and recorded histories stretching back centuries. A poetic text by the photographer traces the life cycle of the oak, and an essay illuminates the natural and cultural history of the genus Quercus. This book will be a must for all tree lovers, and anyone who has an oak in their garden.

The life and the legend of the Black Mamba, told in an abundantly illustrated book for young readers. For his entire career, Kobe Bryant had an unquenchable drive not just to be great, but to be the very best—to rival Michael Jordan as the number one shooting guard of all time. This fast-paced book traces his entire journey: from his childhood in Italy to his dazzling high school career in Lower Merion, PA, to the ups and downs (and five NBA championships) of his 20 seasons with the Lakers, to his retirement (announced in his famous poem “Dear Basketball”) and his tragic death at the age of 41. Full of action-packed colour photos, this latest installment in the best-selling Abbeville Sports series will inspire young basketball fans with their own dreams of glory.

Read all about today’s greatest basketball players in this exciting book full of action-packed photos. This second edition of the best-selling Stars of the NBA has been revised and updated from cover to cover. It profiles twenty-eight of today’s top NBA players, from legends like Steph Curry and Nikolia Jokic to rookie standouts like Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. Young readers will learn about their favourite players’ life stories, unique styles of play, and defining moments on the court.Packed with colourful photos and key stats, Stars of the NBA belongs to the Abbeville Sports series, which also includes Legends of the NBA ISBN 9780789214430 (about the greatest players of the past), Stars of the NFL ISBN 9780789214577, and Stars of World Soccer ISBN 9780789214751.