The Big Green
Ken Wilson-Max
Otter-Barry Books
It’s another hot day in Mali and there’s excitement in the air in the village where Maryam and Issa live. As their Mum and Dad are busy poking and shovelling the parched earth, Uncle Cedric pulls up with a truck full of plants. “What are those plants?” Issa wants to know. “Your future,” replies his Uncle, smiling, a response that puzzles the siblings. Creating this future is actually a community task. Neighbours balance buckets of water on their heads, the children help carry unplanted seedlings into the shade, the grown-ups dig holes and put in the seedlings and everybody waters them, over and over and over again.
The final spread shows the siblings, somewhat bigger, enjoying walking through green grass under spreading trees, appreciating the flowers and butterflies, while knowing that they now have both a place in which to play and a place to look after.
This story is an example of the enormous work that is being done in the Great Green Wall, a project that involves eleven countries across sub-Saharan Africa. Ken Wilson-Max provides further information about this on the book’s penultimate page, which is followed by a ‘Plant Your Own Tree’ activity to inspire youngsters to make a difference in their own part of the world.
Young listeners will love joining in with the various sounds – Clap Clap’s, CHAs, DUMs, and Ulululu… included in the narrative as they listen to the upbeat story with its vibrant illustrations.
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