The real-life story of a family who planted 1,000,000 trees—yes, it’s true!—to fight deforestation in British Columbia.\
When Kristen Balouch was 10 years old, her parents made a surprising announcement: their whole family was going on a trip to plant trees! Kristen, her sisters, and her mom and dad—and their pet, Wonder Dog!—flew from their California home to a logging site in British Columbia. There, they joined a crew working to replant the trees that had been cut down.\
In One Million Trees, Kristen reflects on the forty days they spent living in a tent, covered in mud and bug bites, working hard every day to plant a new forest. Young readers will learn a little French, practice some math skills, and learn all about how to plant a tree the right way!\
The kid-friendly, engaging text is paired with bold illustrations, full of fun details and bright colors. The story ends with a modern-day look at what Kristen's family helped accomplish: a stand of huge trees growing on what used to be an empty, muddy patch of bare stumps.\
An author's note shares more information on deforestation, sustainable logging practices, and the irreplaceable environmental benefit of old growth forests. . . . Plus, the amazing things even a small group of people can do when they work together.\
A fun story with an important environmental message, One Million Trees is bound to inspire kids to get their hands dirty to make our planet healthy!\
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection\
From School Library Journal\
Gr 3–6—A charming account of a family who went to Canada to plant a million trees. The story is told through the eyes of the oldest daughter and features multiple learning opportunities: math problems, French words, interesting recipes to try, and plenty of facts about trees. The family camped with several other families and was tasked with planting tree plugs (seedlings) to replace trees in a section that had been cleared by lumberjacks. Balouch uses childlike drawings to give the story an appealing authenticity. The book resembles a peek inside a diary with drawings. There's a surprise ending: The author takes her children back to the site to see the beautiful tree farm she helped plant when she was a girl. VERDICT This excellent resource about conservation and preserving nature has been ably rolled into a delightful reminiscence vividly retold. —Cynde Suite