Me, a Sustainable Promoter

The Natural Balance
Did you know that in 1958 the Chinese decided to exterminate all the sparrows in their country? They were considered a plague because they ate the grains of the crops and after four years they succeeded. It was a total disaster: because the sparrows also ate bugs, these increased in numbers and then they truly ate everything! Even today, sparrows are scarce in China. This is why conserving the natural balance and biodiversity is so important!

My name is Pla and I am an 11-year-old girl, whose mission in life is to protect Planet Earth and Nature, which ironically is becoming less and less “natural”. Living a sustainable life is essential to take care of our planet’s resources and to heal it, so that we can further live in the best way possible. You can decide to do so also! I will teach you about recycling, energy efficiency and other relevant topics, as well as different ways to take care of the planet and lead a more sustainable life. Join me on this journey and let’s save the planet together!

Key points

2021 – IBBY Chile Award, Best Collection, Conscious Citizen (La Bonita Ediciones)
2020 – Chilean Book Chamber, Edition Award, Girls and Boys category

• In this book -from a deep love for nature -, Pla and her dog Ko give us knowledge to put us into action.
• Simple and direct, the protagonist appeals to the identification of thousands of children who want to preserve the planet, something we adults did not do.
• Reflective, but above all practical, Pla gives us a complete guide to recycle, use energy efficiently and to avoid food waste, among other topics.
• Each proposal is easy to put into practice and ranges from conscious consumption, water preservation, to circular economy.
• The UNO report in August was categorical: the climate emergency is 100% human made and is dangerously close to getting out of control.
• It encourages research and creativity, two essential resources when it comes to staying updated to keep on fighting.

Gabriela Lyon

2023, 2021 – Chilean National Prize Marta Brunet for Children and Young Adults Literature
2022 – Finalist in Cuatrogatos Foundation Award
2021 – The White Ravens List
2018 – IBBY Chile Award, Children’s Non Fiction