# Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector - Hardcover

by **Janice N. Harrington** (Author), **Theodore Taylor III** (Illustrator)

**Meet Charles S. Parker, an unsung yet trailblazing Black scientist who made major contributions to the fields of botany (the study of plants) and mycology (the study of fungi) in this inspiring STEM/STEAM picture book biography from the creators of _Buzzing with Questions_.**

In 1882, Black botanist and mycologist Charles S. Parker sprouted up in the lush, green Pacific Northwest. From the beginning, Charles's passion was plants, and he trudged through forests, climbed mountains, and waded into lakes to find them. When he was drafted to fight in World War I, Charles experienced prejudice against Black soldiers and witnessed the massive ecological devastation that war caused. Those experiences made him even more determined to follow his dreams, whatever the difficulties, and to have a career making things grow, not destroying them.

As a botanist and teacher, Charles traveled the United States, searching for new species of plants and fungi. After discovering the source of the disease killing peach and apricot trees, Charles was offered a job at Howard University, the famed historically Black college where he taught the next generation of Black scientists--men and women--to love plants and fungi as much as he did.

### Author Biography

**Janice N. Harrington** is an award-winning poet and children's author. Her recent title, _Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles_ Henry Turner, was listed among NSTA Best STEM Books and the Nonfiction Detectives' Best Nonfiction Book, and _Chasing a Storyfish_ was A Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year. Her books _The Chicken-Chasing Queen of Lamar County_ and _Going North_ won many awards and citations, including a listing among _TIME_ magazine's top 10 children's books and the Ezra Jack Keats Award from the New York Public Library. She is a professor of creative writing at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

**Theodore Taylor III** is an illustrator and comic artist. He received the Coretta Scott King John Steptoe New Talent Award and the Texas Bluebonnet Award for _When The Beat Was Born: DJ Kool Herc and the Creation of Hip Hop_. He is also the illustrator of the forthcoming graphic novel, _Garvey's Choice_ by Nikki Grimes.

**Number of Pages:** 48

**Dimensions:** 0.4 x 11.22 x 8.92 IN

**Illustrated:** Yes

**Publication Date:** August 29, 2023

## Details

- **Price:** 18.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 18.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- Rooting for Plants: The Unstoppable Charles S. Parker, Black Botanist and Collector - Hardcover

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> Updated: 2026-07-21