Synopses & Reviews
One woman. One seed. One hope for the future.
Thayu nyumba -- Peace, my people.
Wangari grew up in the shadow of Mount Kenya listening to the stories about the people and land around her. Though the trees towered over her, she had loved them for as long as she could remember. So strong, so beautiful, how the trees made her smile.
Wangari planted trees one by one to refresh her spirit. When the women came to her for help with their families, she told them to do the same. Soon the countryside was filled with trees. Kenya was strong once more. Wangari had changed her country, tree by tree.
Donna Jo Napoli tells a story inspired by the life of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai that will touch the hearts and spirits of all who read it. Kadir Nelson's stunning collage illustrations honor the spirit of a land and of the woman who saved it.
Review
"Will inspire children of all ages.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;Ellen Scott, The Bookworm, Omaha, Nebraska
Review
and#8220;A beautiful introduction for children just learning about the Greenbelt Movement.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;School Library Journalandlt;/iandgt;
Review
and#8220;Illustrator Kadir Nelson intensifies the text's tribute to East African culture, mixing oil paints and textiles in collages that capture the quest of women looking for answers as well as the beauty and vastness of Maathai's project . . Especially dazzlingand#8230; Makes vibrantly clear how strong and resourceful Maathai and other African women have been in restoring trees and peace to their world.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;The Washington Postandlt;/iandgt;
Review
* and#8220;Nelsonand#8217;s (andlt;iandgt;We Are the Shipandlt;/iandgt;) breathtaking portraits of Maathai often have a beatific quality; bright African textiles represent fields, mountains, and Maathaiand#8217;s beloved treesand#8230; Napoli (andlt;iandgt;The Earth Shookandlt;/iandgt;) creates a vivid portrait of the community from which Maathaiand#8217;s tree-planting mission grows.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Publishers Weeklyandlt;/iandgt;, STARRED REVIEW
Review
and#8220;This picture book glows from every page as Napoli and Nelson write and illustrate the inspiring story of ecologist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathaiand#8230;. A lovely, stirring picture book with a simple message for us all: in the midst of change, development, and upheaval, there is always a place for wisdom and peace.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; and#8212; Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Kansas
Review
"Will inspire children of all ages.”
Ellen Scott, The Bookworm, Omaha, Nebraska
Review
"This is the true story of Wangari Muta Maathi, a Kenyan woman who helped to bring trees back to a sadly deforested country. Her grassroots efforts to help her people and the environment at the same time had a profound effect not only on Kenya, but on people all over the world who heard her story and who learned her lessons. With a lyrical text and stunning multimedia art, this picture book is a must for every reader, both young and not so young." -- Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review
Review
* “Nelson’s pictures, a jaw-dropping union of African textiles collaged with oil paintings, brilliantly capture the villagers’ clothing and the greening landscape….
This is, in a word, stunning.”
Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW * “Nelson’s (We Are the Ship) breathtaking portraits of Maathai often have a beatific quality; bright African textiles represent fields, mountains, and Maathai’s beloved trees… Napoli (The Earth Shook) creates a vivid portrait of the community from which Maathai’s tree-planting mission grows.”
Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
“A beautiful introduction for children just learning about the Greenbelt Movement.”
School Library Journal
“Luminous illustrations are the highlight of this third recent picture-book biography of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmental activist who received the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. In brief, poetic lines thathave a folktale tone, Napoli describes how “wise Wangari” helped Kenyan village women solve problems from hunger to dirty water with the same solution: “Plant a tree.” Most noteworthy is Nelson’s vibrant collage artwork, which features soaring portraits and lush landscapes in oil paint and printed fabrics.”
Booklist “Illustrator Kadir Nelson intensifies the text's tribute to East African culture, mixing oil paints and textiles in collages that capture the quest of women looking for answers as well as the beauty and vastness of Maathai's project . . Especially dazzling… Makes vibrantly clear how strong and resourceful Maathai and other African women have been in restoring trees and peace to their world.”
The Washington Post “This picture book glows from every page as Napoli and Nelson write and illustrate the inspiring story of ecologist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Wangari Maathai…. A lovely, stirring picture book with a simple message for us all: in the midst of change, development, and upheaval, there is always a place for wisdom and peace.”
Mark David Bradshaw, Watermark Books, Kansas "Will inspire children of all ages.”
Ellen Scott, The Bookworm, Omaha, Nebraska
"This is the true story of Wangari Muta Maathi, a Kenyan woman who helped to bring trees back to a sadly deforested country. Her grassroots efforts to help her people and the environment at the same time had a profound effect not only on Kenya, but on people all over the world who heard her story and who learned her lessons. With a lyrical text and stunning multimedia art, this picture book is a must for every reader, both young and not so young." -- Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Review
Review
* and#8220;Nelsonand#8217;s pictures, a jaw-dropping union of African textiles collaged with oil paintings, brilliantly capture the villagersand#8217; clothing and the greening landscapeand#8230;. andlt;bandgt;This is, in a word, stunningandlt;/bandgt;.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt; and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Kirkusandlt;/iandgt;, STARRED REVIEW
Review
and#8220;Luminous illustrations are the highlight of this third recent picture-book biography of Wangari Maathai, the Kenyan environmental activist who received the 2004 Nobel Peace Prize. In brief, poetic lines thathave a folktale tone, Napoli describes how and#8220;wise Wangariand#8221; helped Kenyan village women solve problems from hunger to dirty water with the same solution: and#8220;Plant a tree.and#8221; Most noteworthy is Nelsonand#8217;s vibrant collage artwork, which features soaring portraits and lush landscapes in oil paint and printed fabrics.and#8221;andlt;BRandgt; andlt;BRandgt;and#8212;andlt;iandgt;Booklistandlt;/iandgt;andlt;iandgt;andlt;/iandgt;
Review
andlt;divandgt;"Will inspire children of all ages.andlt;BRandgt;andlt;BRandgt;Ellen Scott, The Bookworm, Omaha, Nebraskaandlt;/divandgt;
Synopsis
"Nelson's pictures, a jaw-dropping union of African textiles collaged with oil paintings, brilliantly capture the villagers' clothing and the greening landscape...
This is, in a word, stunning." --
Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"Nelson's (We Are the Ship) breathtaking portraits of Maathai often have a beatific quality; bright African textiles represent fields, mountains, and Maathai's beloved trees...Napoli (The Earth Shook) creates a vivid portrait of the community from which Maathai's tree-planting mission grows." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A beautiful introduction for children just learning about the Greenbelt Movement." --School Library Journal
Through artful prose and beautiful illustrations, Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson tell the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai, known as "Mama Miti," who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation. Today more than 30 million trees have been planted throughout Mama Miti's native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by tree--and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to positively impact the future.
Synopsis
NAACP Image Award Nominee "In a word, stunning." --Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Through artful prose and beautiful illustrations, Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson tell the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai, known as "Mama Miti," who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation.
Today, more than 30 million trees have been planted throughout Mama Miti's native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by tree--and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to positively impact the future.
Synopsis
Through artful prose and beautiful illustrations, Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson tell the true story of Wangari Muta Maathai, known as and#8220;Mama Miti,and#8221; who in 1977 founded the Green Belt Movement, an African grassroots organization that has empowered many people to mobilize and combat deforestation, soil erosion, and environmental degradation. Today more than 30 million trees have been planted throughout Mama Mitiand#8217;s native Kenya, and in 2004 she became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Wangari Muta Maathai has changed Kenya tree by treeand#8212;and with each page turned, children will realize their own ability to positively impact the future.
About the Author
Donna Jo Napoli is the acclaimed and award-winning author of many novels, both fantasies and contemporary stories. She won the Golden Kite Award for andlt;iandgt;Stones in Waterandlt;/iandgt; in 1997. Her novel andlt;iandgt;Zelandlt;/iandgt; was named an American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, a Publishers Weekly Best Book, a Bulletin Blue Ribbon, and a School Library Journal Best Book, and a number of her novels have been selected as ALA Best Books. She isandnbsp;a professor of linguisticsandnbsp;at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband. Visit her at DonnaJoNapoli.com.andlt;Bandgt;Kadir Nelsonandlt;/Bandgt; is the widely acclaimed illustrator of many books for children, including andlt;iandgt;Thunder Rose,andlt;/iandgt; written by Jerdine Nolen, which received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award; andlt;iandgt;Ellington Was Not a Street,andlt;/iandgt; written by Ntozake Shange, which received a Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award; and andlt;iandgt;Hewitt Anderson's Great Big Life,andlt;/iandgt; written by Jerdine Nolen, which won the 2005 Society of Illustrators Gold Medal. He is also the illustrator of Deloris Jordan and Roslyn M. Jordanand#8217;s andlt;iandgt;Salt in His Shoesandlt;/iandgt; and Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee's andlt;iandgt;Please, Baby, Pleaseandlt;/iandgt; and andlt;iandgt;Please, Puppy, Pleaseandlt;/iandgt;. Kadir Nelson lives with his family in San Diego, California.