Welcome to my latest blog post which is part of the blog tour for the paperback publication of There’s a Rang-Tan in my bedroom, written by James Sellick and illustrated by Frann Preston Gannon. The book is published by Wren and Rook.
The production of palm oil has caused much deforestation. Between 1990 and 2008 palm oil production is said to have been responsible for around 8% of the world’s deforestation so this has been an ongoing issue. Forests that are being destroyed are being burnt and cleared so that oil palms can be grown. However, destroying forests in this way is leading to less biodiversity. The farming of oil palm trees is also destroying the habitats for animals such as elephants and orangutans.
Two years ago in 2018, the world’s population of orangutans had declined by half in 16 years. Many big global brands had committed to using alternatives for palm oil however, many suggested that they were not working fast enough to make this happen. Greenpeace then created an animated children’s story which was narrated by Emma Thompson, a talented and award winning actor and activist. The film is utterly moving and later in the year supermarket Iceland, with permission, used the film for their Christmas advert however, it was rejected from being used as it was deemed to breach political advertising rules. The book There’s a Rang-Tan in my bedroom is based on that film and was first published in 2019.
Complete with a foreword by Emma Thompson, There’s a Rang-Tan in my bedroom is a fantastic book that would be a great addition to many a library and learning setting.
A young girl discovers an orangutan in her bedroom and as adorable as she is, she is a little mischievous. Eventually the young girl wants the orangutan to go home, but where is her home? The girl takes a moment to listen to what the orangutan has to say.
Told simply amongst brilliantly illustrated spreads, readers are informed that due to human activity many forests are being destroyed so that palm oil can be grown and used in things like food and shampoo.
The tender moments illustrated after the darker scenes of what the orangutan has witnessed are truly touching and the young girls response to this is wonderful. She decides that she will fight to save the orangutan’s home and writes to the “Big Boss” at the “Chocolate company.”
The young girl continues to stay true to her word and shares with others about what is happening to the homes of many orangutans.
The book is so informative but always with its young target audience in mind. Once the story finishes, readers are also provided with factual information about orangutans and what palm oil is. The book also continues to share possible things that readers could do to help with this problem such as telling others and writing an effective campaign letter.
The book has encouraged many discussions with my girls and I and one that we shared during Earth Day also. The book is brilliant and an informative introduction to the problem surrounding palm oil. It shares practical tips on what readers can do and the illustrations throughout are expressive and moving.
Keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway that I will hosting soon.
.
Don’t miss out on other posts as part of the blog tour:
Disclaimer: I was provided a review copy of the book in exchange for my participation on the blog tour. All words and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.