22 May Fowler Families: Book Recommendations

Wangari’s Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa (2008)

As a young girl growing up in Kenya, Wangari was surrounded by trees. Upon returning home years later, she is shocked to see whole forests being cut down, and she knows that soon all the trees will be destroyed. So Wangari decides to do something—and starts by planting nine seedlings in her own backyard. And as they grow, so do her plans…

Wangari’s Trees of Peace by Jeanette Winter is the true story of Wangari Maathai, Kenyan environmentalist and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, whose passion, vision, and determination inspired great change. We share this title in honor of National Arbor Day—Friday, April 24—a holiday on which individuals and groups are encouraged to plant trees.

Birdsey Northrop of Connecticut was responsible for globalizing the idea of Arbor Day when he visited Japan in 1883 and delivered his Arbor Day and Village Improvement message. In that same year, the American Forestry Association made Northrop the Chairman of the committee to campaign for Arbor Day nationwide.