One Million Trees: A True Story

by Kristen Balouch (Author)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade

The real-life story of a family who planted 1,000,000 trees-- yes, it's true!--to fight deforestation in British Columbia.

When Kristen Balouch was 10 years old, her parents made a surprising announcement: their whole family was going on a trip to plant trees! Kristen, her sisters, and her mom and dad--and their pet, Wonder Dog!--flew from their California home to a logging site in British Columbia. There, they joined a crew working to replant the trees that had been cut down.

In One Million Trees, Kristen reflects on the forty days they spent living in a tent, covered in mud and bug bites, working hard every day to plant a new forest. Young readers will learn a little French, practice some math skills, and learn all about how to plant a tree the right way!

The kid-friendly, engaging text is paired with bold illustrations, full of fun details and bright colors. The story ends with a modern-day look at what Kristen's family helped accomplish: a stand of huge trees growing on what used to be an empty, muddy patch of bare stumps.

An author's note shares more information on deforestation, sustainable logging practices, and the irreplaceable environmental benefit of old growth forests. . . . Plus, the amazing things even a small group of people can do when they work together.

A fun story with an important environmental message, One Million Trees is bound to inspire kids to get their hands dirty to make our planet healthy!

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Select format:
Paperback
$8.99

Kirkus Reviews

The simply written, straightforward text is rich with interesting information. . . . The digital illustrations--rendered in a naïve art style--are busy, making for detailed spreads that beg to be pored over; they also capture the British Columbia landscape, including its distinctive flora and fauna. . . . An intriguing tale that will plant seeds of environment consciousness in the upcoming generation.

Review quotes

 
Kristen Balouch
Kristen Balouch has illustrated picture books for other authors as well as written and illustrated her own, including The Little Girl with the Big Voice and Mystery Bottle which was the winner of the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award and Middle East Book Award, and a Bank Street Best Children's Book. She is also a fabric designer and a literary agent. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. You can visit her at kristenbalouch.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9780823448609
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Margaret Ferguson Books
Publication date
March 20, 2022
Series
-
BISAC categories
BIO000000 - Biography & Autobiography | General
Library of Congress categories
Canada
Balouch, Kristen
Tree planting
Forest restoration

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