The Boy Who Did Not Want to Plant a Tree
— A story about growing up, nature and a decision that can change more than we think
What happens when a boy decides not to do what everyone expects of him?
Through humour, imagination and unusual characters, this story is about the relationship between people and nature, about responsibility and about small choices that leave a big mark.
A book that takes children on an adventure and reminds grown-ups that love for the world we live in is not taught by words alone, but by example.
- Publisher
- Luka Books
- Year
- 2020
One tree each — and there is a forest!
What if one child and one tree cannot change the world — but can set in motion a “forest force” that will save it?
In a small town by the river Nišava lives Luka, a boy who does not believe that nature depends on a single sapling. When his kindergarten gives him the task of planting a tree together with his friend Stefan, Luka flatly refuses. His words, however, are heard by Mother Nature herself, and she decides to show him how wrong he is. A wondrous Green Book arrives at Luka’s address — a book that talks, turns its own pages and opens a great green door into the magical world of the Nišava valley.
A magical journey through the Nišava valley
When Luka and Stefan step through the glittering covers, their journey soon becomes more than a wondrous adventure. In the company of unusual guides they come face to face with the forces of nature:
- Vesna the bee and Zmajko — wondrous travelling companions, and a dragon come to life from the wall of their kindergarten.
- A fierce storm — the moment that shows the boys what happens when the balance between people and nature is lost.
- Nivila, the green fairy — the being who takes them on the most heart-rending journey of all and brings the lesson that changes everything.
The mystery of Prljavko and a lesson in responsibility
As nature loses its beauty before their eyes, Luka understands for the first time that nothing in the world exists on its own. The boys are given the task of solving the central riddle: who is the mysterious Prljavko, who threatens to destroy the world? The answer to that question will change the way they look at their own surroundings.
Why this book matters to every child
Blending adventure, humour and fantasy, “The Boy Who Did Not Want to Plant a Tree” teaches young readers ecological awareness. It tells them warmly that:
- protecting nature is not somebody else’s job, but everybody’s;
- you do not have to do something enormous for change to begin;
- great deeds grow out of small, everyday decisions.