FeedThursday Tales: Seeds of Change Book Giveaway Contest
May 20, 2010 in Art activities, Books with Science Content, Books with Science Content, Elementary Educators, Johnson Jen Cullerton, Making Personal Connections, multicultural books, Picture Book, Research Ideas Tags: biography picture book, Jen Cullteron Johnson, Kenya, Nobel Peace Prize, nonfiction book, Seeds of Change, Sonia Lynn Sadler, Wangari Maathai
Seeds of Change written by Jen Cullerton Johnson and illustrated by Sonia Lynn Sadler is a terrific and beautiful biography picture book about Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize winner and environmentalist Wangari Maathai. I am giving away one copy of this book that I received from Lee and Low for review. Simply leave a comment or question below by Monday, May 24 10:00 a.m. CST to be entered into the contest. One winner will be chosen from the comments.
*Picture book, nonfiction biography
*Wangari Maathai, a Kenyan female scientist, is the subject
*Rating: Seeds of Change is interesting and inspirational, and the illustrations are marvelous. Both kids and adults will love this book.
Short, short summary: From the time Wangari was young and living in Kenya, her mother taught her to respect the earth, especially the mugumo tree. Wangari had a dream to go to school even though many young Kenyan girls were not educated. Her parents decided to send her to school, and she worked very hard. She went on to high school in Nairobi and then onto college in Kansas to study science. Then she returned home to Kenya to teach and inspire women to follow their dreams. While home, she realized that her government was selling more and more land to companies that were cutting down forests. She started the Green Belt Movement, encouraging women to plant trees to replace the ones being cut down. Thirty million trees were planted, but wealthy businessmen were upset, and they had Wangari arrested and thrown in jail. In jail, Wangari met other women who were being imprisoned for false crimes. When released from prison, she went into the world again to share a message about women’s rights. And she continued to plant trees.
So, what do I do with this book?
1. Plant trees with your students. You can ask your school (or if you home school you can do this at home) where you could plant a tree and maybe dedicate it to the Green Belt Movement started by Wangari. This is a great spring activity, especially around Arbor Day or Earth Day.
2. Ask children to talk about how trees are important in their own lives. Even a child that lives in a city or suburb, sees trees in the park or in their yard. What do trees do (besides give us oxygen)? They may give birds and squirrels a place to live, provide shade for the yard so children can play in the summer time without becoming too hot, or if it’s a fruit tree–provide food. Ask students to write a journal entry, poem, or draw a picture about the importance of trees in their own lives. This will help them relate to how Wangari was feeling when she went home and saw many of the trees being cut down.
3. Not only is this book about an environmentalist, but it’s also about a girl who worked hard and followed her dreams. Wangari shows that anything is possible with determination and spirit. Talk to your students or children about their dreams–some may have dreams such as becoming a doctor; some may want to help feed hungry people that they’ve read about; others may want to become a teacher or truck driver. It doesn’t matter what their dreams are–just let them talk about it. And then ask them to draw a picture of themselves fulfilling their dreams. Older children can write a paragraph to go with their pictures.
Don’t forget to leave a comment or question for a chance to win this incredible book, Seeds of Change.
May 20th, 2010 at 2:26 pm
This sounds like a great book. My son is autistic and at five is now becoming aware of plants and trees, all because of the movie Wall-E. I have to say, the cover illustration is lovely, too.
May 20th, 2010 at 2:29 pm
Sounds like a fantastic book!
May 20th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Jen Cullerton is a wonderful writer and truly captures the spirit of Wangari in this book. I am doing an environmental unit for my English class and will bring this book in and possibly plant a tree as suggested. How cool would that be?
May 20th, 2010 at 3:11 pm
I’m so pleased to see a children’s book available honoring Wangari Maathai. I have heard that, sadly, she has passed on; but what a legacy of strength she has left for us. This woman was an astounding leader and visionary. Her love and devotion to her people and the environment sustained her through brutal times and truly gave the world a modern day (s)heroe.
I think my favorite quote from Prof. Maathai is:
“We can work together for a better world with men and women of goodwill, those who radiate the intrinsic goodness of humankind. To do so effectively, the world needs a global ethic with values which give meaning to life experiences and, more than religious institutions and dogmas, sustain the non-material dimension of humanity. Mankind’s universal values of love, compassion, solidarity, caring and tolerance should form the basis for this global ethic which should permeate culture, politics, trade, religion and philosophy. It should also permeate the extended family of the United Nations.”
By the way, there is an excellent film about the Green Belt Movement available for watching online at http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/takingroot/film.html.
May 20th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
Would absolutely LOVE to win this book! My kids (from Ethiopia) and I have learned alot about this woman and her efforts to save her country. She has inspired us to work on her behalf here and in Ethiopia!
May 20th, 2010 at 4:41 pm
Thanks for all the comments so far. This book is truly exciting! Also, thank you to Robyn for leaving the link about the independent film about the Green Belt Movement!
Margo
May 20th, 2010 at 5:45 pm
What an inspiring story. If only we were all a little more like Wangari. Thanks for sharing this wonderful book, Margo!
May 20th, 2010 at 6:13 pm
Wow! What an interesting and unique subject for a picture book! Can’t wait to read it.
May 20th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
This is so exciting. Many people lament their negative circumstances and this woman used them for good. So inspiring! Thanks for sharing, Margo.
Karen
May 20th, 2010 at 9:38 pm
What a BEAUTIFUL idea for a book. Jaimie got a little baby tree from school last week. We planted it in our garden. My baby girl who fears the outside world and doesn’t understand social cues DOES love life. THAT is a universal thing no matter what language you speak (or whether you can speak at all), your culture or even your understanding about the world.
Thank you for this, Margo.
Chynna
http://www.lilywolfwords.ca
http://www.the-gift-blog.com
May 20th, 2010 at 9:49 pm
I’m so happy that you are doing this, Margo! I just love this book, both the story and the beautiful illustrations! It was great meeting Jen at the Saturday Writers meeting last month! Throw my name into the hat, please!
May 20th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
This book reminds me again that grassroots movements – like this and the tree hugging movement, both initiated by women, became successful because of the ripple effects of its simple concepts.
May 21st, 2010 at 6:43 am
What a great announcement for the book! I love that you’ve pointed out two powerful things: that this is a story about an environmentalist who saw a problem and tried to fix it, and that this is the story of a child who followed her dreams. I think kids will really respond to this. And I can’t wait to share it with my little nature lovers.
May 21st, 2010 at 6:51 am
My little grandson turns 5 today, and I know he would enjoy this book. You may be thinking about an older child for enjoyment, but Jackson loves all stories. What beautiful one this is! I can’t wait to get to the bookstore today to look at it in hopes that I’ll win it. Thanks so much for the great review!
May 21st, 2010 at 8:27 am
Sounds like a fantastic book, one that I will purchase even if I don’t win! Thanks for sharing Margo.
May 21st, 2010 at 10:10 am
Chynna–
that is so great that Jamie loves nature. Thanks for sharing! Margo
May 21st, 2010 at 10:31 am
Sounds like a great book for children, especially girls. I like the environmentalist aspect and the chance to learn more on how to save the earth’s natural resources., Margo, you surely suggest some great books. I wish you would send Kim Rudloff a copy of this link. She teaches young folks and perhaps could incorporate this into helping the disadvantaged learn more. Her e-mail is meana1@sbcglobal.net
May 21st, 2010 at 12:17 pm
Thanks, MOM!
May 21st, 2010 at 7:27 pm
What a beautiful story; I have never heard it before. I teach middle school, and I think sometimes this age group is so focused on themselves that they forget to do things for others, the environment included. What a great way to remind them that there are people out there who are so selfless, that they are willing to go to prison for just causes. In addition, the book may incite a student’s passion to take up a “green” project close to home.
Thanks for the ideas.
May 22nd, 2010 at 7:53 am
I am immediately drawn in by the cover illustration and the title of this book. Seeds are a common discussion topic at our house, and every time we find a tree sapling sprouted from an acorn in our yard we pull it up to see the magic of how it grew. I love the parallel between big trees growing from small seeds and a big, positive impact on the environment growing from one person. We’ll be looking for this book at the library or bookstore.
May 22nd, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Wangari’s life is such a reminder of how women working together can make such a profound difference in our world. Even though something seems so small as planting a tree can help.
It is amazing that the rough times in our life, such as her time in prison, can encourage such clarity and motivation to make changes.
I hope to instill this awareness and power into my daughter’s lives so that they feel that the small things that they do make an impact and they see the power within themselves.
May 22nd, 2010 at 2:38 pm
looks like a super cute book
May 23rd, 2010 at 6:36 pm
I am a teacher in a 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade multi-age classroom. I would love to put this book in our school library, which serves our K-8 multi-cultural population. I teach a unit on Africa and I would then have it available to share with my class. This book sounds like it has so many important messages that lessons could be formed around: environment, trees, women’s rights, African women, Africa, following our dreams, and even politics.
May 24th, 2010 at 11:29 am
My grandchildren would love this book! I would, too.