Gualinga, Patricia and Laura Resau. Stand as Tall as the Trees: How an Amazonian Community Protected the Rain Forest. Vanessa Jaramillo, Illus. Charlesbridge, 07/2023. [32]pp. Non-Fiction. Trade $17.99. 978-1-62354-236-8. GRADES 2 – 5. ADDITIONAL.
In this picture book for older readers, a young woman describes how the Kichwa people of Ecuador fought the government after an oil company took over their rain forest. They won back the forest after an appeal to the Court of Human Rights. The Indigenous people believe the rain forest has spirits called the Amazanga that help to keep the plants, animals, and water healthy and that the oil company’s work was killing both nature and these spirits. Some readers may need more information to follow what occurred. Watercolor illustrations depict the people and landscape, adding some details to the concise text. Back matter includes more information on the efforts to preserve the rainforest, how other Indigenous people on other continents fought for their land, a glossary, and sources. Review based on an Advance Reader Copy.
Penny Peck—San Jose State University iSchool