Rina Singh - 111 Trees: How One Village Celebrates the Birth of Every Girl

Rina Singh grew up in India but later immigrated to Canada, where she studied creative writing and earned her teaching degree. Rina is inspired by real-life stories and has written many critically acclaimed books for children. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, in a blue house surrounded by tall trees.

Marianne Ferrer was only seven years old when she moved from Venezuela to Canada, and she found it to be quite the change of scenery. From mango and pomarosa trees to maples and pines, trees have always inspired her drawing, and she integrates her wonder for nature into her work.

This one is for Julian, Ethan, Quentin and Auden the future eco-feminists R.S.

For you, the light that makes everything grow M.F.

ISBN 978-1-5253-0584-9 (EPUB)

CitizenKid is a trademark of Kids Can Press Ltd.

Text 2020 Rina Singh Illustrations 2020 Marianne Ferrer

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of Kids Can Press Ltd. or, in case of photocopying or other reprographic copying, a license from The Canadian Copyright Licensing Agency (Access Copyright). For an Access Copyright license, visit www.accesscopyright.ca or call toll free to 1-800-893-5777.

Kids Can Press gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Ontario, through Ontario Creates; the Ontario Arts Council; the Canada Council for the Arts; and the Government of Canada for our publishing activity.

Published in Canada and the U.S. by Kids Can Press Ltd. Dockside Drive, Toronto, ON M5A 0B5

Kids Can Press is a Corus Entertainment Inc. company

www.kidscanpress.com

The artwork in this book was rendered in watercolor, gouache and graphite.

All photos courtesy of Rina Singh.

Edited by Jennifer Stokes Designed by Marie Bartholomew

Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Title: trees : how one village celebrates the birth of every girl / Rina Singh ; Marianne Ferrer. Other titles: One hundred and eleven trees Names: Singh, Rina, 1955 author. | Ferrer, Marianne, 1990 illustrator. Series: CitizenKid. Description: Series statement: CitizenKid Identifiers: Canadiana 20190215852 | ISBN 9781525301209 (hardcover) Subjects: LCSH: Sex discrimination against women India Juvenile literature. | LCSH: Sex discrimination against women India Prevention Juvenile literature. | LCSH: Womens rights India Juvenile literature. | LCSH: Equality Juvenile literature. | LCSH: Feminism Juvenile literature. Classification: LCC HQ1237.5.I4 S56 2020 | DDC j305.420954 dc23

Preface

Not too long ago, a village in India was ruled by ancient customs. There, the birth of a boy was celebrated with the beating of pots and pans and the sharing of sweets. A son was a blessing from the gods, someone who would carry on the family name and take care of aging parents.

The birth of a girl was welcomed with silence. A daughter was a burden, someone who would cost parents a dowry (money given to the grooms family) when she go married and who would become the property of her husband.

But today, things are different in that village. Today, girl = trees. This story is true, and it started with a boy named Sundar.

Sundar watches how his mother balances the water pot on her head. Walking to the well with her every day in the blistering heat is hard, but its his favorite thing to do. Its the only time he has her all to himself. On the way back, they stop under some trees, and she asks him to collect pieces of firewood for cooking.

He sees her smile at him through her veil.

At night, Sundar feels his mothers wet cheeks as she hushes him and his two hungry sisters to sleep.

Their mud house is too small for his family of eleven.

One night, Sundars mother is bitten by a poisonous snake. In the morning, she doesnt wake up. The villagers come to the door, wail loudly and take her away. And just like that, his mother is gone.

After this, whenever Sundar sees women walking to the well, he runs to wrap his arms around a tree, pretending to hug his mother.

Years pass.

Sundar grows up, marries and becomes a father. He has two daughters and a son, and he and his wife raise them with equal love and joy.

As his children grow, he teaches them the names of trees and birds.

He shows them how their lives depend on the natural world.

He guides them to embrace all forms of life.

Sundar works as a laborer in a marble factory not far from his village. The process of mining the marble strips the soil, dumps waste into the land and leaves the landscape dry and barren, making any kind of farming difficult.

He asks the factory owners to plant trees to make up for the harm they are doing to the countryside, but they refuse. Sundar begins to fear for the future well-being of his village. He is so angry that he leaves his job.