A fictionalized picture story, told from the point of view of young Aani, recounts the origins of the Chipko Andolan (Hug the Tree) Movement in northern India in the 1970s. When men from the city came into rural areas to cut down the trees, women villagers successfully stopped them by embracing individual trees. Indian artist Venantius J. Pinto explains in a note at the end how and why his pictures for this book were influenced by five different styles of traditional miniature painting that were used in northern India in the 17th century. (Ages 4-9)

Based on true events in northern India, this is the story of a little girl's bravery. One day, Aani hears the roaring of the tree cutters. Hoping to get the workers to put down their saws and hatchets, Aani and the village women explain that the trees provide food, fuel, and homes for animals, but to no avail. Finally, Aani wraps her body around one of the trees, with surprising results. Distinctive color illustrations, inspired by Indian miniature painting, accompany the moving story. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.