Laura is walking home from school with her mother. Much to Laura's dismay, her mom insists on stopping at trees along the way and speaking to them as if they were her friends. As her mother greets each tree, mentioning its unique features, Laura grudgingly begins to take note, and slowly her curiosity overcomes her embarrassment. By the time they?re almost home, Laura has made the acquaintance of many special trees in her neighborhood and has come to recognize each one's distinctive features. General, easy-to-remember information in the story teaches children how to identify eleven common trees. A glossary at the back of the book provides more details.