A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds

Written by Rebecca E. Hirsch

Narrated by Amanda Troop

"Should you encounter any of the plants in this book, do not treat them lightly. They can kill you. Or cause you unbearable agony. Or land you in jail. Consider yourself warned."



Explore the strange and remarkable stories of poisonous and even deadly plants.



Science, history, and true crime converge in an informative and exciting look at Mother Nature's ghoulish garden. From a hallucinogenic fungus linked to the Salem Witch Trials to the weed that killed Abraham Lincoln's mother, learn how certain plants evolved toxicity to avoid being consumed by predators and became the predator on their own.



In A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants: Wicked Weeds and Sinister Seeds author Rebecca Hirsch takes you on a wild journey to look at how toxic chemicals in the natural world have been used for medicine, warfare, and sinister acts of foul play. Tread lightly as we explore these plants' ominous deeds.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Feb 25, 2025
• ISBN: 9798331925260

Rebecca E. Hirsch

Rebecca E. Hirsch is an award- winning children's author with a PhD in plant biology. Her picture books include Plants Can't Sit Still and Night Creatures: Animals That Swoop, Crawl, and Creep while You Sleep. She lives with her husband and three children in State College, Pennsylvania. You can visit her online at rebeccahirsch.com.

Reviews for A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants

[amethystangel777 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved all the artwork and photos throughout this book. I found it very fun and informational. I think this was a different and fun way to give this kind of information to kids and as a teacher, I absolutely approve.

I also showed this to my own kids and they said it looked "interesting" and was "good".

[montzaleew · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A Deathly Compendium of Poisonous Plants
By Rebecca E. Hirsch
Wow, I really enjoyed this awesome informative book! I like science, especially when mixed with exciting history and the alure of deadly poisons. I want to thank the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this book! I hope this author writes another book with similar topics.
This book tells the reader about several plant's descriptions and where they grow. Then, she tells a true story or two about how deadly these plants are. Some stories are from hundreds of years ago and some very recent.
A drawing and description with the technical details are also shown. The reason or how the poison is harmful is broken down is also explained for the reader.
Some of the plants include Gympie-Gympie, Belladonna, Datura, Caster Bean, Ergot, Heartbreak Grass, Mandrake, and more.
This is definitely one of my favorite books this year. Easy to understand. Entertaining and informative regardless of the deadly topic. I also think this book would be enjoyed by middle grades to adults. I know that I would have been attracted to this book at 7th grade on up. I'm an old lady now and still enjoy learning.