Wangari Maathai was a highly accomplished Kenyan environmentalist who has been the subject of a number of recent stunning picture books. After training as a biologist in the U.S., Maathai founded the Green Belt Movement, an environmental and women's empowerment organization that trains women in rural Kenya to plant trees in order to combat deforestation. Since its founding in 1977, her organization has planted over 40 million trees and trained over 30,000 women in trades that provide them with income and preserve the country's natural resources. Maathai's efforts effectively transformed the landscape of Kenya and raised countless women out of poverty. For her great contributions, Maathai received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 -- becoming the first African woman to do so.
In the past several years, four picture books have been released on the life and work of Maathai. All four are beautifully illustrated and trace her life from her early girlhood days to her founding of the Green Belt Movement and the impact her work had on the land and people of Kenya.
Three of the books are targeted for younger readers from 4 or 5 to 8 years old: Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya, Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa, and Planting the Trees of Kenya: The Story of Wangari Maathai. While the fourth option is also a picture book entitled Seeds of Change: Wangari's Gift to the World, it's a bit more comprehensive than the other selections and, as such, is recommended for slightly older readers from 6 to 9.
If you would like to introduce your children to an inspiring story of an indomitable environmentalist and women's rights advocate who persevered in the face of great opposition to help preserve her country's rich natural heritage and give many women new options in life, each of these picture books is highly recommended. They also offer an excellent way to introduce children to concepts like sustainability and other ecological principles.
Further reading recommendations:
- Books about Women Role Models
- Books about Africa
- A Mighty Girl's Special Feature on the Top Children's Book on the Environment
- Books about Gender Discrimination
- Books about Social Movements
- A Mighty Girl's Special Feature on Spring and Gardening
A Mighty Girl features several top books and movies picks on our facebook and blog page weekly. For more Mighty Girl Top Picks, visit our Top Picks page.
