Scotty Plants a Seed by Conn Iggulden and Lizzy Duncan

Scotty, a little black dog, was blown onto the Isle of Mull in the midst of a ferocious storm, the only member of a little family of Scotty dogs to remain with the fisherman who rescued them. But Scotty is adventurous and always getting up to mischief. The fisherman hopes that giving him a collar to wear might help, so he looks out the dog’s mother’s old one, and puts it on Scotty.

The purpose of the book is obvious from its title. Conn Iggulden is clear that he wants to encourage children to plant trees. He uses his story to show them why it’s such an important thing to do. And the illustrations from Lizzy Duncan support the message. Once Scotty has his collar, he trots off to see his somewhat irascible friend the Owl who remembers trees he has known. And before you can say, ‘Don’t pee on my tree!’, the friends find themselves whisked away from Mull. It turns out Scotty’s collar has very special powers!

Using collar power they are taken round the world to see devastation and regeneration of forests before landing back home, exhausted, in Mull. And there, the next day, they plant a seed of their own, knowing that one seed might not be much, but it’s important. And, if we all plant a seed, we can all join Scotty and Owl in helping the planet.