This inspiring picture book illustrates the real-life story of Jadav Payeng, who grew 1,300 acres of forest to protect the environment. “In India, on a large river island, among farms and families hard at work, there lived a boy who loved trees.” Jadav becomes alerted when he finds out that animals are dying around his village. The erosion caused by deforestation destroys the habitat of snakes and other animals. Something needs to be done! So, Jadav decides to take action by creating a new home for these animals by planting trees…

The eco-critical story is suitable for an ecological project week on “Saving the Forests” at school and can be related to climate change and the destruction taking place in the Amazon rainforests.

Picture book/Short fiction · United States · 2019