**"Trees are living symbols of peace and hope." -Wangari Maathai, Nobel
Peace laureate
**
Wangari Maathai changed the way the world thinks about nature, ecology,
freedom, and democracy, inspiring radical efforts that continue to this
day.This simply told story begins with Green Belt Movement founder
Wangari Maathai's childhood at the foot of Mount Kenya where, as the
oldest child in her family, her responsibility was to stay home and help
her mother. When the chance to go to school presented itself, she seized
it with both hands. She traveled to the US to study, where she saw that
even in the land of the free, black people were not welcome.
Returning home, Wangari was determined to help her people and her
country. She recognized that deforestation and urbanization was at the
root of her country's troubles. Her courage and confidence carried her
through adversity to found a movement for peace, reconciliation, and
healing.
Aurélia Fronty's beautiful illustrations show readers the color and
diversity of Wangari's Africa--the green trees and the flowering trees
full of birds, monkeys, and other animals; the roots that dig deep into
the earth; and the people who work and live on the land.