The Emerald Forest
Age 4+
Picture Storybooks
A powerful and moving picture book showing how wildlife campaigners can help endangered Orangutans.
Orangutan and her family live in a vast emerald forest, bursting with life…until one day a monstrous machine tears Orangutan’s tree from the ground. The family have to leave the emerald forest – but where can they go to? This powerful and moving picture book is set in tropical Sumatra, an island that has lost almost half its rainforest cover in recent years. The story graphically describes the reactions of an orangutan family to the destruction of their age-old home, but also shows how wildlife campaigners are bringing hope for the future.
Creators
Catherine Ward has been working in primary schools since 2008. After joining SCBWI – the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators – she graduated from the Golden Egg Academy picture book programme in 2019. She is passionate about wildlife conservation, with a special interest in the endangered orangutans of Sumatra. The Emerald Forest is her debut picture book. She lives in Leicestershire.
Karin Littlewood is one of Britain’s most distinguished illustrators, celebrated for her beautiful and atmospheric paintings and sensitive character portrayal.
Reviews
The Emerald Forest is a beautiful picture book which can be enjoyed on many levels… The jewel-like illustrations are gorgeous and help the reader immerse themselves in the glory of the emerald jungle. One for any classroom bookshelf, school library or a wonderful birthday gift for any environmentally-aware child.
Reading Zone
This powerful and moving picture book is set in tropical Sumatra, an island that has lost almost half its rainforest cover in recent years. The story graphically describes the reactions of an orangutan family to the destruction of their age-old home, but also shows how wildlife campaigners are bringing hope for the future.
Picture Book Den
A beautiful, lyrical and moving story of Orangutan, her growing family and the vivid forest in which they live… The tropical rainforest setting is vividly brought to life with Catherine’s carefully chosen words, which sweep us through the story with sensitivity and deft emotion. Karin’s watercolours are vibrant and full of movement, but also fragile just like the Sumatran forest they depict.
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