Information about Scotty:
Scotty was blown onto the Isle of Mull, deep in the heart of a storm, but when a fisherman gives him an old collar with ancient writing on it, Scotty is whirled off on a series of extraordinary journeys with his best friend Owl. Crotchety old Owl loves trees, and the collar whisks them away to India to see the Banyan, to Brazil to see the last tree left standing, and to East Africa, where new seedlings are sprouting gently into fresh forests.
Climate change can sometimes be a little frightening, and Scotty’s story is about the small changes we can all make to protect the planet. Will Scotty and Owl get home safely from their journeys around the world? Will Owl manage not to lose all his feathers flapping after the little Scotty? Will they both learn something extraordinary about trees, home, and how to protect it by planting just one seed?
The story of Scotty was initially produced by the Scotia Group for distribution to all delegates in attendance at the UN’s COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Conn Iggulden and Lizzy Duncan are working with Little Door Books to expand Scotty into a series that continues to tell the story about how nobody is too small to make a difference, and no difference is too small to make when it comes to saving our planet.
My review:
Scotty Plants a Seed is an absolutely gorgeous picture book with a powerful message for young readers. The gently rhyming text is so engaging and not at all simplistic. This is a book with substance. Scotty is charming and enthusiastic. He has so much to learn about the importance of trees (they’re more than just big sticks) and what he can do to protect them. Owl is remisniscent of the wonderful character of Owl in the Winnie the Pooh stories although he really is very wise, sharing so much as they travel around the world meeting creatures who make their homes in trees.
Lizzy Duncan’s illustrations are warm and inviting. Scotty moves with energy while poor Owl tumbles across the page every time they come in for a landing. The richness of the different types of trees fill the pages until they reach the emptiness of the last tree. The contrast is striking. Children won’t be able to help but see that the world needs trees.
The story ends with a challenge for young readers – for everyone to plant a seed and make sure the world is full of the shade, homes and air we all need.
Thank you to Little Door Books for this lovely book and for inviting me to join the blog tour!
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Books by Kate Heap:
Scope for Imagination 