Deep in the rain forest of Costa Rica, a boy named Fernando lives with his family in the tin-roofed house that his father has built. He can pick bananas right off the tree outside his door, and go swimming or fishing in the cool river nearby. Like his father and grandfather before him, Fernando has come to treasure the wonders of the lush tropical land that his family calls home. But when he and his friend Camina look for her favorite climbing tree and find it cut down, Fernando learns that not everyone has respect for his beautiful forest.
This gentle tale, presented in both English and Fernando's native Spanish, will awaken a strong sense of kinship in young readers. Like Fernando, they will feel a new appreciation for the beauty and bounty of the precious, delicately balanced environment that is the rain forest.
"Large, crystal-clear full-color photographs and an engaging first-person bilingual narrative bring this simple story to life. . . . This is an appealing and respectful look at a beautiful part of the world and one family's struggle to preserve it."--School Library Journal
"Superb natural history."--Smithsonian