111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl

by Rina Singh, Marianne Ferrer

Overview

A boy grows up to make positive change in his community. After suffering much heartache, Sundar decides change must come to his small Indian village. He believes girls should be valued as much as boys and that land should not be needlessly destroyed. Sundar’s plan? To celebrate the birth of every girl with the planting of 111 trees. Though many villagers resist at first, Sundar slowly gains their support, and today, over a quarter of a million trees grow in his village. A once barren, deforested landscape has become a fertile, prosperous one where girls can thrive. Sure to plant seeds of hope in children. Improving the world is within everyone’s reach.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781525305849
Publisher:	Kids Can Press
Publication date:	10/06/2020
Series:	CitizenKid Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	35 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Rina Singh was born in India and immigrated to Canada, where she received her MFA in creative writing from Concordia University and a teaching degree from McGill University. She is an internationally published author and has written many critically acclaimed books for children. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, with her husband.;Marianne Ferrer is a freelance illustrator and graphic design graduate from the Université du Québec à Montréal. She currently lives in Lasalle, Quebec.

Editorial Reviews

…[an] inspiring true story…

The New York Times Book Review - Jennifer Krauss

An inspiring picture book about eco-feminism in action ...—Kirkus Reviews

Girls are one with nature in ... this inspiring true story ...—New York Times

... an interesting and inspiring true story ...—CM Magazine

... an homage to trees, girls, and a planet that is sure to return the favor when we care for it.—Booklist, starred review

... inspiring ...—Globe and Mail

This engaging story serves as a compelling introduction to the concept of eco-feminism ...—School Library Journal

This is an amazing book with a strong message ...—Owl Magazine

... vibrant ...—International Examiner

Accompanied by Ferrer's stylized illustrations in muted earth tones, Singh's approachable text conveys how one person's passion and commitment can have tremendous impact on their community.—The Horn Book

From the Publisher

11/01/2020

K-Gr 2—Every time a girl is born in the village of Piplantri, in India's northern province of Rajasthan, they plant 111 trees. The initiative was started in 2006 by the village head, Shyam Sundar Paliwal. Singh's story, written in conjunction with Paliwal, describes his life in the village—of walking with his mother to fetch water and growing up to work in a marble mine that was harming the land. After his young daughter died, Paliwal planted trees in her honor and got the idea to plant trees for all the daughters born in the village to honor them and help the land. Back matter explains more about gender inequality, Paliwal's life, and the initiative, which also includes setting aside money for the girls to use when they turn 18. Ferrer's watercolor, gouache, and graphite illustrations show women and girls wearing brightly colored clothing (many also have headscarves) on a barren landscape that fills with green as the trees grow. VERDICT This engaging story serves as a compelling introduction to the concept of eco-feminism and will be great in classrooms for sparking larger conversations.—Jennifer Rothschild, Arlington County Public Libraries, VA

School Library Journal

2020-09-01
Haunted by the untimely deaths of his mother and daughter, an Indian man named Sundar grows up to become an activist dedicated to advancing gender equity and environmental justice in his home state of Rajasthan.

After he gets married, Sundar works in a marble quarry owned by men who unapologetically wreak ecological havoc on the land. Disgusted by these practices, Sundar quits his job and runs for the position of head of his village, a title known as the sarpanch, and wins. His joy is short-lived: A year after his victory, his oldest daughter dies. As he mourns, he notices how little female children are valued in his village. He then hatches a plan to honor his daughter’s memory, change attitudes about gender, and combat the deforestation that has been devastating the local land. Every time a girl is born in the village, Sundar decides that the people will plant 111 trees in her honor. Sundar’s idea fundamentally affects his hometown in deeply positive ways. Including endnotes about Rajasthan, gender equity, and eco-feminism, this earnest, inspiring book forthrightly discusses everything from environmental exploitation to female feticide in language suitable for young readers. Although many readers will give a side-eye when Sundar tells the villagers that in developed countries “girls and boys are treated equally,” overall, this is an uplifting story about the power of personal action. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.4-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 41.1% of actual size.)

An inspiring picture book about eco-feminism in action in the global south. (Informational picture book. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews