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Fernando Vilela is an award-winning author and illustrator from Brazil. Published in Brazil under the title Tapajos, this book was inspired by one of his trips to the Amazon rainforest. He has received many awards for his books, and he has exhibited his artwork at home and abroad, including at the MoMA in New York. For his picture books, he has received five Jabuti Awards (brazil) and the New Horizons Honorable Mention of the Bologna Ragazzi International Award.
| Word | Pronunciation | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Tapajós | [tah-puh-zhos] | A river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River. |
| Cauã | [ka-Wah] | Character name in the story (the bother) |
| Inaê | [ay-nae] | Character name in the story (the sister) |
| Zé | [Seh] | Character name in the story |
Where is the Tapajos River?
The Tapajos is a river in Brazil. It runs through the Amazon Rainforest and is a major tributary of the Amazon River.
https://www.britannica.com/place/Tapajos-River
What is the Amazon Rainforest?
The Amazon Rainforest is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. It is located in northern South America.
https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/geography/physical-geography/amazon-facts/
Tribes in the Amazon Rainforest
https://www.twinkl.com/teaching-wiki/amazon-rainforest-tribes
Facts about Brazil
https://www.funkidslive.com/learn/top-10-facts/top-10-facts-about-brazil/
The Tapajos River—one of the largest tributaries of the Amazon—is certainly a river that is shaping development in Brazil. At 1,200 miles long, the Tapajos touches three Brazilian states (Mato Grasso, Para, and Amazonas) and runs through 65 municipalities.
With the river itself spanning such a distance, you can imagine the size of its basin. The basin is 193,000 square miles, which is about three times the size of Florida or roughly the size of France and is home to rich and diverse habitats, with two-thirds rainforest and one-third Cerrado, or Savanna. And, wildlife abounds. There are 324 identified fish species, and the region ranks within the top 25 percent for global importance of rare land and water species.
Another important species to mention is humans. There are 1.4 million people living in the Tapajos River basin, including 10 indigenous tribes. All of these people rely on the river for food, water, energy, and jobs.
For more information about the Tapajos River visit The Nature Conservancy website
Summary
Cauã and Inaê are brother and sister who live in a small community along the Tapajós River in Brazil. Here, the homes are on stilts and everyone travels around by boat—even to school! When the rainy season comes, they must leave their village and relocate to higher ground for a while. But after moving this year, Cauã and Inaê realize they’ve left behind something important: their pet tortoise, Titi! Unlike turtles, tortoises can’t swim, and Cauã and Inaê are really worried. So, the pair sneaks back at night on a journey along the river to rescue him. Will they be able to save Titi?
Age and Grade Level
Prevalent Themes
Groups Represented
Suggested Age and Reading Level
Notable quote
“Here in the state of Para, we only have two seasons: Summer and Winter. In summer it’s very sunny, it’s very dry. And the river gets so shallow you can walk across it. But in winter it rains a lot, every day, nonstop.”
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