Kadir Nelson is the illustrator. What did he do to create this book?" (drew the pictures in the story) Gently mix the wet paintbrush into the color. Remind students to always start the watercolor painting with the lightest color. Remove the sentence strips from the Reasons to Plant a Tree anchor chart and the Places People Plant Trees anchor chart and mix them together. And it is only thanks to those hearts and to so many incredible, oft-invisible works, that I wrote The Great (Food) Bank Heist (heading your way on 1 st July - more details coming soon!). And why today, I want to celebrate those books which do not shy away from the issues of hunger and poverty daily impacting our children, and who instead, help them to recognise the s/heroes they already are… Onjali's top reads for World Hunger Day UK

Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya

All this and so much more is the story of Wangari Maathai. Born in the Highlands of Kenya, still under colonial occupation, influenced by her upbringing between two worlds, the rituals and belief of the Kikuyu people as well as the beliefs of the catholic nuns at her school, she went on to study Biology in the US and to become the first woman to hold a PhD at the university of Nairobi as well as to be the first woman to chair a department there. Point to the white spaces between the lines and tell students that, just like when they color, they should paint carefully between the lines of the drawing. Mama Miti is the story of a woman who worked to change her country one tree at a time. Napoli tells the story of Wangari Maathai as if she was a wise elder. While this works within the story, the fact that she is a well educated woman with a PhD might have been worked into the story to emphasize the importance of education imo. The writing is lyrical. Creating: What do you think would have happened if Wangari did not give trees away to women and their children? Wangari’s brother teachers her what he learns at school; her parents see that she is smart and a hard worker.Friday 28May 2021 marks World Hunger Day in the UK: a day which in so many ways, feels as if it should not exist. Especially not in a world in which millions of tonnes of food are destroyed daily, whilst millions of people go hungry. Distribute a sentence strip to each student and yourself (e.g., "playground," "beach," "have trunks and limbs to climb," "make shade").

Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees Wangari Maathai: The Woman Who Planted Millions of Trees

SL.K.1a : Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). Circulate to support students as they watercolor and invite them to describe the place that they are painting.More people listen to her message. She is elected to Kenya’s parliament, and continued to plant trees. After about 15 minutes, invite students to turn to an elbow partner and share their watercolor painting, describing the place. The illustrations by Nelson are mixed collage of paint and printed fabric, layering the clothing & panorama with printed fabrics all on gessoed board. The beautiful images are quite striking and a departure from his previous work. This is a great book for all but especially for girls who have been told over and over that they can’t do what they want to do or be who they want to be for one reason or the other. The book is a testament to what determination, resilience and passion for a cause can do. It is a story with the lesson that giving up is not an option. Of particular value is the addition of a chronology of “The Life of Wangari Maathai” with captions of the historical landscape leading up to her birth and actual milestones in her life. Other additions include a caption on deforestation and the impact on the animal population, quotes from Wangari’s autobiography Unbowed, and a brief paragraph on “Kenya Today.”

Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya Tree Time: Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya

Tell students that more than one reason can go to a place because you can have many reasons for the opinion you make. A beautiful introduction for children just learning about the Greenbelt Movement.”— School Library Journal Read your sentence strip and decide whether you are a place (opinion) or a reason. Use the icon as a visual cue to help you read.Illustration from Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli and Kadir Nelson Mama Miti by Donna Jo Napoli and illustrated by Kadir Nelson Ah, Dolly Parton... (happy sigh) A woman who has put millions of books into the hands of millions of children; invested her own money into saving the world from Covid-19, and who has never shied away from speaking about the poverty she and her family suffered as a child. For students who may need additional support with planning: Invite students to share how they know what is the main idea and what are the key details in the text. (MMR, MMAE, MME) Beautifully illustrated, the images will make you feel you are right there, with Mama Miti (mother of trees) and the people who sought her advice. You will feel the global impact as well, the risks Wangari took (being jailed several times) to do what was right and you be nourished by her unstoppable spirit.