The Forestborns

MY THOUGHTS

If there is a book that will get my kids curious about nature and get them to spend time in the great outdoors, I’m all over it! Add to that a good book that dares to dream, and you have just got my complete attention. The Forestborns is that rare combo. 

Vardhini Amin’s debut novel is about Siah, a tree-born Vruha (soul or spirit) and Avni, a young girl who has an interconnected past. While Avni is coming to terms with losing her parents to a forest fire, she is also trying to help save her beloved forest, just like her father would have wanted her to. But she also has a dark secret she is trying to forget. Meanwhile, Siah, has to save her family and friends at the sandalwood grove from poachers who are determined to cut down the trees (their dehas or bodies) for money. Using ancient wisdom of those who live among plants and sheer grit and determination, will Siah and Avni manage to work together to save their beloved Sandalwood grove, or will their joint memories prove too much for them to handle? 

This is a book that makes you almost smell the forest. Using elaborate descriptions, Vardhini takes the reader on a fantastical adventure that has you rooting for the young girls — both spirit and human. The adventure is set amidst events that plague our forests today — forest fires, illegal poaching, and smuggling. The book gently persuades readers to take note of their surroundings and be mindful. It nudges them to believe every living being has value and that nothing should be overlooked. The black and white illustrations by Pia Alize Hazarika are lovely, but I would have loved to see full-colour illustrations throughout the book. 

This book is perfect for middle-grade readers. Read it so they can be curious when you go for that winter walk in the forest!