What is my plant telling me? An illustrated guide to houseplants and how to keep them alive

Helping out ailing houseplants is no big deal, according to this chatty guide to "bringing your green buddy back to health" from gardener Hinsdale (Never Put a Cactus in the Bathroom). Fifty chapters follow a similar formula: there's a short description of the plant, a breakdown of its basic needs (including water, light, and soil), and a look at common problems. The author does a great job explaining plants by the lifestyles they best suit: readers who want a "forest of foliage" at home will do well with begonias as they "breed like rabbits," for example, while those who tend to forget about their plants will get along perfectly with an Aspidistra, aka the cast iron plant, because even breathing coal fire won't kill them. Hinsdale points out that a "successful plant/person relationship is symbiotic," so with "a little self-awareness" on behalf of collectors, their plants will " any space they occupy into a better place to inhale." The illustrations are fun, as are Hinsdale's quips: "Don't panic. And stop crying into your cactus; they don't like that much moisture anyway." Budding green thumbs will find these handy tips worth returning t. Agent: Emily Sylvan Kim, Prospect Agency. (Sept.)

Hinsdale's (Never Put a Cactus in the Bathroom) latest is a handy reference guide to caring for 50 popular varieties of houseplant, organized in alphabetical order by plants' common name. Each plant gets a physical description that includes the scientific name, sets out the specific environmental requirements that will keep the plant healthy, and details ailments or growing problems that plant owners may encounter. There's also a comprehensive index with cross-references to plants' scientific names. Hinsdale's prose is at once lighthearted, entertaining, useful, and practical. Illustrator Harris does a great job of rendering attractive, stylized images that still manage to accurately depict plants and their ailments. VERDICT Amateur plant enthusiasts are the intended audience, but this title could certainly be useful to more experienced houseplant owners. This book will be of particular interest to public libraries.--Keri Youngstrand