The Vanishing Rainforest

by Richard Platt, Rupert Van Wyk (Illustrator)

Why is the Brazilian rainforest vanishing so fast? And why is it essential not only to the people and animals within it, but to the whole world? This story, seen through the eyes of a child called Remaema, describes how the Yanomami tribe are battling against potential developers.

32 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

About the author

(1953–)

Richard Platt is the author of more than sixty informative books for young readers, and he also writes for innovative multimedia projects. Some of his most popular works have been collaborations with illustrator Stephen Biesty on the "Cross-Sections" series. After a failed attempt to forge a career as a photographer, Platt discovered that he had a knack for writing. "I started writing about photography: first magazine articles, then books," he explained on the Walker Books Web site. "I got a job editing children's books, then went on to write them."

In the 1990s, Platt teamed up with popular juvenile illustrator Biesty for several books, beginning with Stephen Biesty's Incredible Cross-Sections Book, published in 1992. The following year, a second volume in the series, Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Man-of-War, proved equally interesting for late-elementary-age readers, especially those enchanted by seventeenth-century battleships. Alongside Biesty's cutaway illustrations, Platt provides explanatory text that indicates the purpose and activities in each section of the ship. The hardships of life aboard such vessels for their often 800-member crews are not overlooked, either, and the drawings depict food rations crawling with maggots and a doctor's pail containing severed limbs. Ellen Mandel, writing for Booklist, asserted that Platt's "intriguing text" serves to make "this meticulously presented book a treasure of factual content and visual imagery."

For Stephen Biesty's Incredible Everything, Platt provides informative paragraphs to accompany the illustrations for many everyday products, such as athletic shoes and compact discs. Much of the text revolves around the manufacturing process. Stephen Biesty's Incredible Body is a lesson in human anatomy, with sections on each of the body's systems and several major organs; the digestive system alone takes up four pages. Platt has also worked with the illustrator on Stephen Biesty's Cross-Sections Castle and Stephen Biesty's Incredible Explosions.

Working with publisher Dorling Kindersley, Platt has authored several titles in their "Eyewitness" series, some of which have appeared in the United States under the Knopf/Borzoi imprint. Pirate details the world of corsairs, privateers, and crime on the high seas throughout history. A reviewer for Science Books and Films, Richard B. Woodbury, praised the work as "a veritable miniencyclopedia or minimuseum" and "a pleasure to look at." Spy chronicles the history of espionage and the decisive role intelligence-gathering triumphs have played in history. Of particular emphasis are the code-breaking endeavors by Allied intelligence networks during World War II. Shipwreck, also part of the "Eyewitness" series, investigates famous sea disasters and rescues. Like the other books in the popular series, Shipwreck is lavishly illustrated. Chris Stephenson, writing in School Librarian, called it "an excellent source of historical evidence and nautical information."

Platt has also written several books about inventions. His The Smithsonian Visual Timeline of Inventions, which appeared in 1994, won praise from reviewers for its comprehensiveness. Platt divides the development of technology throughout the ages into five sections, including agriculture, conquest, and communication. The timeline begins at 600,000 BCE, around the time humans likely began using fire, and includes predictions for innovations that may occur in the near future. Cathryn A. Camper, reviewing The Smithsonian Visual Timeline of Inventions for School Library Journal, praised Platt's skilled use of illustration and text, which the critic felt "teaches a sophisticated form of literacy similar to" that provided with multimedia learning tools—an area in which Platt already had a great deal of writing experience. "Readers will delight in the colorful pictures and the text, which gives just enough information to satisfy curiosity," opined Voice of Youth Advo

Reviews

[Nikita Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favourite books as it raises a great deal of moral reflection. A thought provoking book, which challenges views on cutting down the rainforest. The story follows a child in the Yanonomami tribe through her experiences in the rainforest. The book describes the rainforest a beautiful place full of healing power. It goes on to the arrival of the ‘white man’ who initially are described in a negative manner. The ‘white man’ are people who come to ‘steal’ things by destroying the forest. However, they often offer other goods in exchange for the forest. This makes children think about morality and whether or not the ‘white man’ are good. They are stealing, which is bad, but in return they are giving them goods which the tribe cannot acquire from elsewhere. A moral dilemma.

The story goes on to describe a ‘nice white man’, Jane who has come to help save the rainforest and protect its great wealth of resources. This again makes the reader think about their moral viewpoint of the ‘white man’ as it demonstrates that they can be helpful; not every ‘white man’ is bad. This is an important teaching as it encourages children not to generalise and make judgements and stereotypical views of people.

My favourite part of the book is the pictures which beautifully represent the story. The pictures are very graphically pleasing and they carry a lot of meaning. They can independently tell a story without any words.

In my experience of reading this book with children, I found that it triggered a lot of interest and curiosity very quickly. The complexity makes it more suitable for KS2, years 3-6. The engaging nature of this book offers a wide range of inquisitive activities to follow. A few examples for KS2 are as below:

-Creative writing: show children the pictures and get them to write their own version of the story. This could also tie in with Geography and Science when learning about the rainforest and sustainability.

-Hot-seating: get one child to pretend to be one of the characters in the book – e.g. the Shaman; allow other children to ask him/her questions and the child in the hot-seat has to give an answer as the Shaman would. This is a great activity for teaching children how to put themselves in others shoes and see the world from someone else’s perspective.

-Ask children to list everyday things (e.g. food, materials) that come from the rainforest.

-Role play the story.

-Oral storytelling (in my experience, this worked very well with year 3 children), this can later be performed to the rest of the year group or in assembly.

[ruth]

Read for English lesson i was teaching. very meaningful message and was a quick and easy read.

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book for discussions about the impact humans are having on the rainforests

[Madhu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations which speak volumes by itself. The story is about the rainforests of Brazil. The Yanomami tribes fear of the nabe ( white man / strangers) destroying their forests and cutting down trees. It talks about the importance of trees, medicinal value of the leaves and roots, animals in the habitat etc. The forest people's knowledge about their habitat. Great book for kids teaching them about anthropology- culture of the native Indians, and the rainforests, battle against the destruction of the habitat etc.

[Abbie Stagg · Rating 3 out of 5]

After teaching this on placement for 3 weeks as part of a non-fiction English topic, I became very familiar with the book and the key themes throughout. It follows a little girl called Rameama who is living with her family in the Amazon rainforest and tells the story of how her and her tribe, The Yanomami, are battling against potential developers to keep their land and prevent them destroying the rainforest and their home. They refer to the developers as the 'nabe' and the book emphasises the effects of these on the indigenous people and the wildlife within the rainforest. It discusses the importance of trees and how leaves and roots can be used as medicine. This is especially clear when Jane, referred to as a 'nice white man', who changes the view of the Yanomami about white people, as she has entered the rainforest with the aim of protecting it and proves that she believes in the same cause as them.

The book contains a great deal of moral reflection, and the importance of the rainforest, not only for the indigenous people but also for providing us for natural resources, and it is helpful to raise this issue for children. It is a useful addition to a non-fiction English topic about rainforests, especially for a lower KS2 class, as it can be interlinked with newspaper articles and real life experience to show the children different viewpoints of the importance of rainforests and why they need to be protected. As well as the message of the book, the eye-catching imagery within the book also helps show readers the true beauty of the rainforest and the nature within it.

[Zoe Wood · Rating 4 out of 5]

Told as a story, this gives information about the rainforests and deforestation

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a good introduction to anthropology and rainforest destruction. The kids enjoyed this book and the book seemed to bring up interesting points that the kids picked up on.