In Plant Life: A Brief History, botanist Frederick Essig takes the reader through a chronological narrative of plant evolution, from photosynthetic cyanobacteria to the origin of non-vascular and vascular plants. This book covers hundreds of millions of years of the evolutionary history of plant life adaptations in just 280 pages. "As different groups of photosynthetic organisms are introduced, the book emphasizes the adaptations that enabled them to gain dominance in existing habitats or move into new habitats." -- Publisher Description

This book serves as useful supplemental reading to an introductory botany course for students curious about the evolutionary context of the plant life we see today. The writing style is accessible and easy to understand and includes figures and illustrations. It includes a bibliography for with additional resources and an index for easy navigation. 

Essig, Frederick B. 2015. Plant Life : A Brief History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

In this 2017 revised version of What a Plant Knows, biologist Daniel Chamovitz writes about how plants experience their surroundings. Using scientific studies as examples, Chamovitz "shows how plants know up from down, how they know when a neighbor has been infested by hungry beetles, and whether they appreciate the Led Zeppelin we've been playing for them." -- Back Cover

This book is relatively short and easy to navigate. Each chapter is an overview of one of the plant senses referencing findings from scientific studies. This is a great source for students seeking a better understanding of different plant functions and how they relate to one another.

Chamovitz, Daniel. 2017. What a Plant Knows : A Field Guide to the Senses. New York: Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Braiding Sweetgrass explores the interactions between the principles of plant ecology and indigenous wisdom. Author Robin Wall Kimmerer, a Potawatomi botanist, teaches plant ecology and is the director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment at the State University of New York. The title term “Braiding Sweetgrass” refers to the indigenous traditions of using the sweetgrass plant for various purposes. Kimmerer writes about her experience with studying plants both as a botanist and a member of the Indigenous community, urging the reader to think both scientifically and holistically about the relationships between plants and humans.

This book is organized into five parts: planting, tending, picking, and burning sweetgrass, each an integral part of the indigenous relationship with sweetgrass. Braiding Sweetgrass is a great resource for students curious about the interactions between plants and people. It serves as an easy and interesting read with plant knowledge and words of wisdom sprinkled throughout.

Kimmerer, Robin Wall. 2013. Braiding Sweetgrass : Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teaching of Plants. Minneapolis, MN: Milkweed Editions.

In his debut book, In Defense of Plants podcast host Matt Candeias explores the dynamic and charismatic world of plants often overlooked by humans. Author Matt Candeias has his PhD in ecology from the University of Illinois and is the host of the In Defense of Plants podcast (included in the web sources page). Candeias uses examples from commonly known plants revealing "surprising and humorous things about their ruthless, horny, or simply cunning behavior." -- Back Cover 

Written in a way that is fun and easy to read, In Defense of Plants is the perfect book for everyone - aspiring botanists to houseplant enthusiasts. Each chapter has its own theme ranging from how different plants reproduce to parasitic plants that use other plants as their food source. The author's intent in writing this book was to showcase the intricacies of the plants around us in a way that is enjoyable to readers - it is not meant to resemble a textbook. Because of this, it is a fun and fascinating read!

Candeias, Matt. 2021. In Defense of Plants. Mango Media Inc.

In this 2024 love letter to plants, environment and science journalist Zoe Schlanger brings to life the hidden world of plants by exploring the various evolutionary adaptations plants have implemented in order to survive. She explains recent findings on a plant's ability to communicate, recognize their kin, hear sounds, morph their bodies to camoflage, store 'memories' that inform their life cycle, and trick other organisms into behaving to their benefit, and much more. She argues that plants have their own form of intelligence separate from human intelligence.

This book is perfect for botanists interested in plant intelligence and philosophy. Each chapter outlines a different topic relating to plant intelligence. Also included is an index for easy navigation as well as a reference page. 

Schlanger, Zoe. 2024. The Light Eaters. HarperCollins