A review by panda_incognito
111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl by Rina Singh
4.0
This juvenile nonfiction picture book shares the story of a man who became a village leader in India and enacted a plan to restore the environment and improve social perceptions of girls by planting 111 trees every time a girl was born in their village. This book covers his backstory, the situations that led to his advocacy, and the effects of the tree-planting program. However, it moves very quickly, skipping past obvious logistical questions, and doesn't cover the operation in as much detail as I would have preferred.
The best part of this book is the photographically illustrated author's note in the back. It explains the program in significantly more detail, answering some of the questions that the main narrative leaves unaddressed, and it also provides additional information about gender inequality and the concept of eco-feminism. I particularly appreciate that in addition to listing more commonly recognized issues, this section also acknowledges the girls who "didn't have the chance to be born at all" because of sex-selective abortion. The author shies away from the language of abortion and refers to parents choosing "not to go ahead with the pregnancy," but I am impressed that she covered this issue at all.
This book is best suited for middle grade readers and older. Even though it is written in a picture book format, it deals with the heavy topics of gender inequity, the death of a parent, the death of a daughter, child marriage, and, in the afterword, sex-selective abortion. I would not choose to share this book with a very young child, but it is a great resource for older children and adults, presenting an interesting, little-known story about one man's creative method for social and environmental renewal.
I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The best part of this book is the photographically illustrated author's note in the back. It explains the program in significantly more detail, answering some of the questions that the main narrative leaves unaddressed, and it also provides additional information about gender inequality and the concept of eco-feminism. I particularly appreciate that in addition to listing more commonly recognized issues, this section also acknowledges the girls who "didn't have the chance to be born at all" because of sex-selective abortion. The author shies away from the language of abortion and refers to parents choosing "not to go ahead with the pregnancy," but I am impressed that she covered this issue at all.
This book is best suited for middle grade readers and older. Even though it is written in a picture book format, it deals with the heavy topics of gender inequity, the death of a parent, the death of a daughter, child marriage, and, in the afterword, sex-selective abortion. I would not choose to share this book with a very young child, but it is a great resource for older children and adults, presenting an interesting, little-known story about one man's creative method for social and environmental renewal.
I received an advance copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.