"These are two handsome spiral-bound booklets that can be easily used by field botanists.  The booklets aim to familiarize the user with the most common woody species in the area.  There are 95 tree species, one species per page of the booklet, 77 shrubs, one per page, and 9 vine species.  There is a drawing of each species, including flowers and/or fruit, along with a great deal of information for each species (reminiscent of the Audubon guides): family; other common names; habitat and range; leaves; stems; flowers; fruit, description of similar species; and  a narrative of interesting facts. 

In addition, there are a lot of other helpful features to aid the beginner and the more experienced field botanist.  There are drawings of types of leaves, leaf arrangements, types of fruits and parts of the flower; a glossary of terms; species locator keys; specialized keys for some of the genera more difficult to identify; and a breakout of the species by plant communities.

One of the nice features of the booklets is that they include some of the "more horticultural," non-native species that field botanists often see in the area but which are often not covered in guidebooks."

"This is not a guide for those who know well their barks and bundle scars and move with ease through the Peterson's tree book. However, if you are among the arborally challenged (and this reviewer definitely is) you might be more comfortable with this new book as your primary guide. Only the species you are likely to come across in New Jersey are covered (146 in all), using a simplified key approach. Simple drawings of leaf types and arrangements and fruit types help get you started and a glossary in the back gets you through the botanical lingo. Most of the species included are accompanied by concise black and white line drawings, many of which were done for Common Forest Trees of New Jersey in the 1950's.

A good sampling of New Jersey's native trees are profiled; 27 non-indigenous species are given full-page treatment as well, including some exotics that have naturalized. A narrative at the end of each profile offers facts about each tree's natural history, historical uses and ecology. All in all, the book is clear and thorough enough (and small enough) to be a welcome companion on your walks, whether through woodland, along the canal or in a city park. Little "Info-Boxes" tucked here and there help make the book fun reading anywhere. It also includes a brief history of the NJ Forest Service, a list of their programs and contacts for further information. And, should you be so lucky, there is a form to photocopy for submitting candidates to the New Jersey Big Tree Program.

There is also a companion guide "Shrubs and Vines of New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic States" by the same author."