The People Who Hugged the Trees: An Environmental Tale

According to "World Almanac's Atlas of the World 2008," one hundred percent (100%) of the frontier trees in Europe are gone (frontier forest is the new term for virgin forest), cut for housing, defense, ships, you name it. In Asia sixty percent (60%) of the frontier forest is gone. "The People Who Hugged Trees" is a 300-year-old story about Amrita Devi and her fellow villagers who defied authority to protect their trees. Adapted by Deborah Lee Rose from a story of Rajasthan, India, this story is first about a girl who loves the trees, then when grown, a woman who does what is needed to keep the trees. "In long-ago India, when warrior princes ruled the land, there lived a girl who loved the trees." This first sentence is stunning: place, time, political conditions, classic folk/fairy tale opening slightly reworded. Amrita's village sits alongside the desert and a forest of trees, which protects them from the fury of sandstorms. When she has her own children, she teaches them to love the trees. Inevitably, trouble comes in the shape of men with axes whose words make her blood run cold: "Cut down every tree you find. The Maharajah needs plenty of wood to build his new fortress." She tries to protect her tree, but the men whack it down. When the villagers come, they, too, stand against the trees and the axemen give up. When the army of axemen return with the Maharajah and his army of soldiers, the people feel defeated. At that moment, like an ex deus prop, a huge sandstorm hits. Everyone take refuge in the forest. After the storm's fury is spent, the Maharajah relents and allows the villagers to keep their forest. There is a big celebration. The illustrations by Brigitta Saflund are breathtaking in the rich hues of Indian dress and vibrant greens of the trees set against the dry yellow of the desert. The luxurious palace of the Maharahah is painted in the detailed tiles of cool blues that decorate it. However, the last page, which is not part of the story, reveals more. In a story for children sometimes details are omitted. The Maharajah did not relent and allow the trees to stay. He had every one of them cut down. In hugging the trees to protect them, over 300 villagers, Amrita included, were killed. As Henry David Thoreau wrote in "Civil Disobedience," a person who commits civil disobedience must be willing to pay the consequences. The tree huggers of Rajasthani have been commemorated by India's first National Environment Memorial. There are still movements in India to protect trees and other natural resources. There's definitely a need, as only 40% of their frontier forests are still standing.

In this story, people save some trees by hugging them, so they don't get chopped down. The pictures are like from a famous artist. They are magnificent. I know this story from a camp. I read it to another kid and myself. Also that other kid liked it too.But I loved it!