Lina, the Tree and the Woodcutter by Eman Salem
📚 BOOK REVIEW 📚
Title: Lina, the Tree and the Woodcutter
Author & Illustrator: Eman Salem
Publisher: Compass Books @compassbooks
Age: 4-8
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Islamic Content: environment is part of faith, Amanah
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Concerns: None
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Summary:
Lina is in the company of the old wise tree when suddenly they are interrupted by a loud hacking. It turns out a new woodcutter has been testing his new axe to cut down tree in the forest. Lina and the old tree tell the woodcutter why trees are important to be left unharmed.
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Review:
This bilingual book is the 3rd in the tree series. Bilingual books are always a great way to teach the young ones new vocab and practice reading in both languages. The first two were Little Tree's Ramadan Adventure and The Little Tree Goes for Hajj. This book teaches an important lesson about the environment, especially because it is tied to Islam as advised by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I have to say that out of the three books, this is my least favourite story. The main fallback in it is that the story is told, not shown. The woodcutter is lectured about taking care of trees being part of our faith and deen, and that's it. He asks Allah for forgiveness and the story ends. I wish this idea was explored more to show the kids how the cutting of this one tree destroyed the nest of a family of birds or how its fall damaged the adjacent trees and plants etc. The story in the way that it is told, doesn't make the reader emotionally connect or truly understand the events a little deeper. The last page includes an authentic hadith that states trees are charity.
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