Aani & the Tree Huggers [Paperback]

Jeannine Atkins (Author), Venantius J. Pinto (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

Based on true events in northern India, this is the story of a little girl's bravery. One day, Aani hears the roaring of the tree cutters. Hoping to get the workers to put down their saws and hatchets, Aani and the village women explain that the trees provide food, fuel, and homes for animals, but to no avail. Finally, Aani wraps her body around one of the trees, with surprising results. Distinctive color illustrations, inspired by Indian miniature painting, accompany the moving story.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-When Aani hears strange rumblings "as angry as a tiger's growl" in the distance, she alerts the village women to the invasion of men from the city who intend to cut down trees in the nearby forest. The women drop their chores to view the destruction of the trees that provide so many necessities-wood for cooking and building, shelter for animals, fruits and berries to eat. Kalawati, a village elder, tries to stop them, but is rudely ignored by these men who have official, written orders to proceed. But when Aani's favorite tree is threatened, she sets a bold example of passive resistance by hugging it. Atkins has developed a highly sympathetic character in Aani, as well as a clear picture of life in a rural Indian community. Pinto's artwork corresponds by giving readers insight into the colors and scenes of the country. Endnotes explain both the story's basis on a true incident and the gouache illustrations based on 17th-century styles of Indian miniature painting prior to Western influence. An exemplary first picture book for both author and illustrator, this collaboration will appeal to a wide audience of children, as well as prove useful in units on India or international environmental efforts.
Tana Elias, Meadowridge Branch Library, Madison, WI
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the School & Library Binding edition.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books (April 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584300043
• ISBN-13: 978-1584300045
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 7.6 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #819,305 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #17 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Environment & Ecology > Fiction

More About the Author

Jeannine Atkins writes books for children and teens. Her most recent book is Borrowed Names: Poems about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Madam C. J. Walker, Marie Curie and their Daughters. She teaches Children's Literature in the English Department at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. You can learn more on her website at www.Jeannineatkins.com or read her blog, View from a Window Seat, at http://jeannineatkins.livejournal.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Tree huggers of the world, unite!, March 26, 2000

By 

Carolyn A. Walley (Arizona, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Aani & the Tree Huggers (Paperback)

This book is a plea for an ecological consciousness in regard to the forest. India has its share of tree rustlers, in spite of strict laws, and much irreparable damage is done by irresponsible felling. This story is well written for younger people with good illustrations. It is the story of a girl's fight to save the trees of her village from tree-cutters, and illustrates her and the village's feeling of reverence for the trees upon which they depended. It does represent one aspect of Indian culture (unfortunately, the tree cutters are another aspect) and can well be used as an introduction to village life; it is also interesting from the point of view of the exotic. My own love of the exotic has led me to many places around the world, and I feel that this sense of wonder about the world is a valuable characteristic and very much worth nourishing; this kind of book can encourage dreams.

The incident described, although fictional, is very reminiscent of an actual event that took place in the State of Rajasthan. The Maharaja needed wood for a building project, and sent his men to cut in a forest near a village. The people, who venerated their trees as the suppliers of many things necessary for their lives, literally hugged the trees. Several hundred villagers were killed before the Maharaja's men stopped. The trees, or their descendants, still stand as a testimony to the interdependence of the people and their environment. The villagersare also well-known for providing a refuge for both a kind of antelope and for birds, and for their reluctance to kill anything. Note: the paper and binding are excellent quality. My only complaint, and it is a minor one, is that the tale should have taken place in the desert, where trees are both more valued and more endangered.