Title: The Great Nicobar Journey
Author and Illustrator: Tansy Troy
Publisher: Talking Cub (an imprint of Speaking Tiger Books)
Type of book: Paperback
Length: 156 pages
Recommended age: 7-11 years
Some stories entertain us. Others quietly change the way we look at the world. The Great Nicobar Journey belongs to the second kind. At first glance, the book feels like an exciting adventure featuring a remarkable cast of aquatic, terrestrial and arboreal animals. But beneath the journey lies a heartfelt reminder that every forest, river and coastline is home to countless lives that often go unnoticed. Through the eyes of its animal characters, the book encourages readers to pause, observe and think about the impact human development has on the natural world.
Below is a review of the book in the words of my 9 year old:
The summary:
The story begins on Great Nicobar Island, where many animals live peacefully in the forest. One day, they discover that politicians are planning to cut down about 9 million trees to make way for a huge development project. The animals are shocked and worried because they know they could lose their homes forever.
Determined to save their island, they create a small anthem to give themselves courage, build a sturdy raft, and set sail for mainland India. Along the way, an Omura’s whale and Saltie the crocodile swim beside them, helping them on their incredible journey. After a few days, they reach the mainland and travel through several different states, meeting new animals and facing many challenges before finally arriving in Delhi.
But what happens when they finally reach Sansad Bhavan? Are they able to make the politicians listen to their message? I won’t spoil the ending—you’ll have to read the book yourself to find out!
Why I Loved the Book:
I really enjoyed reading The Great Nicobar Journey. It was exciting, heartwarming, and it also taught me a lot about wildlife and endangered animals. I think everyone who cares about nature, forests, and animals should read this book because it shows why we need to protect our environment before it is too late. In school I have learnt about forests being renewable resources, but only if we conserve them. I have also learnt that if we do not protect our forests, terrible things can happen including climate change, floods, soil erosion and animals going extinct.
One of the things I liked most was the message of the story. The animals realised that humans were cutting down millions of trees without thinking about the creatures that lived there. Instead of fighting back with violence, they decided to work together, travel all the way to Delhi, and peacefully share their message. I thought this was a very clever idea because it showed that you can stand up for what is right without hurting anyone.
As the animals travelled across India, more and more endangered animals joined their group. This made me realise how many different species are losing their homes because of pollution, deforestation, and other human activities. It was sad to read about their struggles, but it also made me want to learn more about them and think about how we can help. The author has done an excellent job researching the various problems faced by wildlife in India – I was shocked to know that even the vultures are dying due to our carelessness!
My favourite parts in the book:
- I love how the author has combined real facts into the story. For example, since the ancestors of leatherback turtles have been around for millions of years, the author says that they have learnt “humanspeak”!
- The animals used their combined knowledge to make the raft, highlighting the importance of teamwork
- They worked together and put in great efforts into going to the Sansad Bhavan to stand up for what they believed was right and protecting their freedom, highlighting the importance of fighting for what you think is correct
- Saltie the Crocodile kept pushing himself, all through the mainland, telling himself that he has to go find his brother even though he was suffering immensely from the scorching sun, showing us how our family never gives up on us
If you are curious to know what happens at Sansad Bhavan, you might want to order the book from Amazon (kbc affiliate link),
CLICK & BUY NOW!Disclaimer: Amardeep and her son Neil are part of the #kbcReviewerSquad and received this book as a review copy from the publisher via kbc.
