The Boy Who Grew a Forest

Summary of Book

As a boy, Jadav Payeng was distressed by the destruction deforestation and erosion was causing on his island home in India's Brahmaputra River. So he began planting trees. What began as a small thicket of bamboo, grew over the years into 1,300 acre forest filled with native plants and animals. The Boy Who Grew a Forest tells the inspiring true story of Payeng--and reminds us all of the difference a single person with a big idea can make.

Author Biography

Sophia Gholz is an award-winning children's book author, magic seeker and avid reader. Sophia enjoys writing fiction with humor and heart. When writing nonfiction, she pulls on her love of science and her strong family background in ecology. When she’s not writing, you can find Sophia reading a book, visiting schools or exploring the great outdoors with her family.

Sophia’s debut book, The Boy Who Grew a Forest: The True Story of Jadav Payeng, was a NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book, a Florida State Book Award Gold Medalist, Eureka! Nonfiction Honor Book and a 2020 Green Earth Honor Book.

Illustrator Biography

Kayla Harren studied illustration at the School for Visual Arts in New York City. Her work has been featured in the Society of Illustrators Editorial and Book Show as well as 3x3, Zoodinos. She's illustrated more than thirty short stories for children's book app FarFaria and Juma the Giraffe, published by the Wildlife Nature Institute as part of their education outreach program in Africa.

She currently lives with her husband and their hound dog in Minnesota, where she gathers inspiration fro stories during long walks in the woods.