Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees

G. 1-3–The setting of this book is the village of Meghalaya, India, which sits under a layer of clouds. During monsoons it is often hit hard by heavy rains and wind, causing the nearby rivers to overflow and separating the village from the surrounding areas. To prevent this from happening, villagers have constructed Jingkieng Jri—living root bridges. This book tells the story of a young boy whose uncle is teaching him how build, maintain, and support their community’s Jingkieng Jri. It is a story of building a safe, sustainable, and caring environment. With colorful illustrations and clear, informative text, this book explains how the boy and his uncle spend the day caring for the bridge, made of the roots of the ficus trees that grow along both sides of the river. These roots are gathered, twisted, tied, braided, and woven into tight patterns. Then they are paved with mud, bark, and stone. In addition, the boy and his uncle clean the bridge, clearing the plastic bottles and other trash. Useful back matter includes a note about the founding of the Living Bridge Foundation, photographs, selected bibliography, glossary, and pronunciation guide.