Cuentos en familia: El hombre que cortaba árboles

The animals, still sleeping, were unaware of the destruction. The man cut down trees where the birds and squirrels lived, forcing them to flee to other trees. The animals, including the birds, squirrels, and others, were in a state of panic as they lost their homes. The animals, led by a small elephant, decided to take action. They proposed making signs that said "Don't cut down trees!" and "Trees have life." The king of the lions supported the idea, and the animals worked together to create the signs. They placed the signs throughout the forest, warning the man of the harm he was causing. When the man saw the signs, he realized the damage he had done to the forest and its inhabitants. He apologized to nature and promised to make amends. The next day, he planted thousands of trees, and the animals rejoiced at their new home. The story of the man and the animals is part of the USAID Leer y Aprender project, which aims to improve reading skills among students in Guatemala. The project focuses on developing, accessing, and using reading materials in bilingual and intercultural environments. As part of this effort, the project has implemented the strategy of "Municipios amigables a la lectura" (Friendly municipalities to reading), which involves the active participation of parents, teachers, and the community to support the education of children in pre-primary and primary school. The Colección Cuentos en familia (Family Stories Collection) is a result of the project's efforts in 12 municipalities. The collection consists of 24 short stories in Spanish and 12 long stories in Spanish, Mam, and K'iche'. The stories are designed to promote reading among children and to preserve the oral traditions of the communities.