Summary
Young Asháninka girl Zonia was born and raised in the Amazon rainforest of Peru. Zonia loves taking a morning stroll through the forest to take in the breathtaking landscape and say hello to her animal pals that live there. As she sings to animals, her day goes on as usual until she comes upon something unfamiliar. A portion of the forest has been removed and is rapidly losing trees. When she says to her mother that “the forest needs help,” her mother replies, “It is speaking to you.”
Theme(s):
Nature, Feelings, Protection
Personal Response
I absolutely loved reading Zonia’s story. Due to not giving away too much about how the story ends, it allowed the reader to engage themselves in the narrative and consider deeper ideas. The author did an great job of connecting the words to these lovely illustrations of the forest. Zonia’s mother’s comment that “the forest is speaking to you” reflects their heritage and sparks the reader’s interest in what Zonia might have in store for the rainforest. This is a story I highly recommend.
Teaching Ideas
The students role in preventing deforestation could be the focus of a lesson related to the reading. Combining science and literacy while researching how they may influence the environment for the better in order to stop deforestation from spreading. The students can essentially conduct themselves as if they are a part of Amazon Conservation and work in groups to define ideas to modify deforestation for the better in order to prevent the destruction of these indigenous lands and agriculture.
Recommended Reading Level
Birth-PreK, Grade 01, Grade 02
