I have grown up enjoying comics from Gogi Studios. From her exceptional work on human rights, child rights, extremism and now the environment, Nigar Nazar has always managed to leave a mark on my heart. I recently finished reading her latest book My Tree Book with my children. To our surprise, we all enjoyed it equally. To top it all, we also got some cherry tree seeds attached to the book and look forward to planting them as a family activity. My son has suggested naming his tree Bubloo, one of the characters in the story.

Working on climate change at the organisation I work for, we have tried working at different levels for behaviour change and the response from children and the youth has been by far the best. They realise the urgency of cleaning the environment through tree plantations. They are ready to do this at home. They know they will need them for fruit and cleaning the air when they grow up.

I am thankful to Nazar for creating this wonderful story about a boy and his mango tree. The story begins with the boy wanting a present from his grandfather who instead gets him a sapling of a mango tree. Not too happy with the present, he finally plants it and keeps watching it every day initially, then every month, and then each year. He starts cultivating a relationship with the tree when, a few years later, he realises how precious the tree is; giving him fresh mangoes to enjoy, sturdy branches to hang a swing from and a friend standing tall outside his house offering shade to many.

Children realise the urgency of cleaning the environment through tree plantations. They are ready to do this at home. They know they will need them for fruit and cleaning the air when they grow up. 

Being a mother of two young ones, I know that they need to be involved in our decision making. They should know about the changes we are all facing every day. And they should be engaged to play their roles from a young age. The book talks about climate change and tree plantation to protect it and comes with a small pouch of cherry seeds to plant. All of this makes this book very fascinating for the young ones. It is not just an interesting story they get to enjoy with their families, it also gives them a reason to spend time together, playing a part in saving the environment. What better book could you get as a gift for your children?

From facts about trees, photographs about some of the most unique trees in the world, and a scrapbook to document your cherry tree, this book is a wonderful addition to any child’s library. It will help them enjoy nature through a fun story and yet keep them attached to the underlying idea of why trees are important.

I have been asked by many of my friends with children around the same ages as mine to talk to them about climate change, to help them understand why we need to work towards a cleaner environment and to engage them in climate-related activities. This is my reply to them. Get your hands on a copy of My Tree Book and start building our future by practically engaging them in saving the environment.

My Tree Book

Author: Nigar Nazar

Publisher: Gogi Studios

Pages: 52

Price: Rs 600

The reviewer writes children’s books for Oxford University Press and has been running projects on child protection and safety awareness for almost five years.