The Palm Pod
Planting the seeds of change, one pod at a time. Join us at The Palm Pod for engaging discussions, expert insights, and industry updates on sustainable palm oil, guiding consumers and businesses to make better choices for the people, planet and prosperity. This podcast is brought to you by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) - a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable.
The Palm Pod
Episode 18 - A Tiger's Message: Inspiring Young Readers to Care About Wildlife
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This Tiger’s Day, The Palm Pod celebrates the magic of stories that make us care. Join host Fara Rom as she chats with Martin Hill, the author who befriended a tiger in the heart of London, an encounter that inspired his book A Tiger’s Message.
Tune in to hear a roaring story as Martin shares how an unexpected friendship shaped his storytelling, and how A Tiger’s Message invites children to care for wildlife and understand the importance of sustainable palm oil.
Because as A Tiger’s Message reminds us — it’s never too early to dream, to care, and to speak up for nature.
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Links:
- Purchase the book here: https://www.indypublishing.co.uk/a-tigers-message
- Book Review: https://naee.org.uk/a-tigers-message/
Learn more about sustainable palm oil at www.rspo.org.
*The views and opinions expressed on The Palm Pod are solely those of the speaker and do not necessarily reflect those of The Palm Pod or the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
You are now listening to the palm pot, brought to you by RSPO, a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Hi, I'm Fara Rom, and you're turning into the Palm Pot where we host engaging discussions, expert insights, and industry updates on sustainable palm oil, guiding consumers and businesses to make better choices for the planet. So this Tiger's Day, we're exploring how stories can spark care, compassion, and action in protecting our precious big cats and even among our youngest minds. So today I'm joined by Martin Hill, an author whose remarkable encounter in the heart of London inspired a book that reminds us it's never too early to dream, to care, and to roar for the future. Welcome to the Palm Pot, Martin. I'm excited to have you here.
SPEAKER_00Hi Farah, nice to meet you too.
SPEAKER_01Awesome. So before we dive into your books, I would love for our listeners to get to know you a little better. For me myself, I got to know you a lot better before. So who is Martin Hill and how would you describe yourself beyond being an author?
SPEAKER_00Well, um I live in Kent in the UK. I studied science at the Open University. I have spent several years in the IT industry doing database development before taking on the role of co-founder of an award-winning online book review website, creating a platform where children could share book reviews in schools across the UK. In my spare time, I enjoy running, going to the gym. I've completed a marathon supporting children in hospital. And as you know, I also have a passion for wildlife and have spent many years as a big catkeeper looking after these amazing animals.
SPEAKER_01You have a such colourful background. And you mentioned about having a book review website. That's interesting. And you can share about that a little bit.
SPEAKER_00So the actual website was connected to schools across the UK. So the children could add book reviews and they could share those book reviews with other children, and the teacher would authorize the reviews. So we had over two million books on the website, maybe 40,000 book reviews. So it was really helpful for children.
SPEAKER_01That's really nice. Maybe you can share the website after our conversation today and we can link it to the podcast. And also just to add, uh, Martin also has written several children's books that touch on nature, empathy, and imagination. That's why we're talking today. So can you share with us what draws you to these themes?
SPEAKER_00Okay, so primarily I was drawn to these scenes, having worked in a wildlife environment for many years looking after the cats. But these three fit themes often work together. So, for example, nature can inspire imagination, stories can help readers feel empathy for people and animals. It also allows me as an author to go beyond ordinary life. So things like fantasy and dreams, like a tiger's message, where a young girl called Emma comes across a tiger in the rainforest and asks for help. This is all in her dreams. And this can inspire myths, magical worlds, and imaginative characters.
SPEAKER_01I think you've mentioned just now about a tiger's message. I'm particularly intrigued by that book. Um, it was published in 2019. Can you further elaborate and share what inspired the creation of this book?
SPEAKER_00Uh the book was inspired by a friend who had just returned from Sumatra, actually, having spent time with the Tiger Patrol teams. He mentioned to me when he was up in a helicopter, all you could see was oil palm plantations. And I was rather surprised when he said that to me. So I decided to do some research on palm oil and came across the RSPO. So I could see that the RSPRO were actively working to help the palm oil industry become more sustainable and protect the rainforest and wildlife. So then I thought I could help the cause by creating a book called A Tiger's Message for children so they can have a better understanding of palm oil and its effort effects on the rainforest, animal and environments.
SPEAKER_01On your point of view, why do you think storytelling is such a powerful way to teach children about caring for wildlife and our environment?
SPEAKER_00I think storytelling is a powerful way to teach children about caring for wildlife and the environment because stories create emotional connections. When children hear a story, they can identify with characters and fill their struggles and hopes. When children read about an animal struggling to survive or a forest being protected, they imagine those feelings and situations. This helps them develop compassion for living things. In short, storytelling works because it blends emotions, imagination, and understanding, things that shape how children learn what to care about. And I think that comes out in a tiger's message.
SPEAKER_01To continue that conversation, um, so I've read A Tiger's Message before, and I think what I can get from the book is the bond between the child and the tiger in your story feels a bit too real, almost like it came from personal experience. Can you share what moment truly inspired the heart of the story?
SPEAKER_00I was at the wildlife park doing some work, and from a personal point of view, I used the name Indy in a story, which was a tiger that I helped hand rear from a cup. Sadly, she's no longer with us today, but she leaves a very important message to all the children in the world. In a tiger's message, I think Indy became more than just an animal in the story. It represented nature itself, a real powerful, endangered, and deeply connected to human choices. The child's friendship with the tiger reflects the innocence and the empathy that can exist. So when Emma in the book is going through the jungle and she reaches a tiger and a tiger asks for help, it's that emotional contact which reflects in the story.
SPEAKER_01You also mentioned about the name Indy. I actually have a question on that, but you actually partially answered it. Um, because the name Indy is a recurring name, um, not just in the book, but also from your company, which is Indie Publishing. So I thought it was a subtle play on your name because your name is Martin D. Hill, so probably from there. But can you share a bit more story about Indy and how does it connect back to Indie Publishing? Why is it such a big reference to not just the storybook that you've written, but also, you know, you use the name for your company as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, um I think what happened was over the years working with the tigers, and especially Indy, because you did so much work around the UK. I'd written little notes about things that the tigers had done and where they'd been, and basically just all the um adventures they'd been on. I needed to name the company something, so I decided to call it Indie Publishing, which obviously comes from the tiger that I hand-reared. And she spent a lot of time visiting children hospitals across London when she was just a cub. And she was a smart tiger and extremely beautiful, as you can see in the book. And when I started the book publishing company, I wanted it to be part of her also. So I wanted her name to be remembered, and I wanted to share her adventures with children around the world.
SPEAKER_01So you actually befriended a tiger in the heart of London. That's amazing. What was that friendship like? And I think I'm curious to know on your experience with Indy, how did it shape the way you see wildlife and compassion for them today?
SPEAKER_00I think the um the relationship with Indy was very unique. I suppose walking towards Tiger Lodge where Indy used to live in the mornings, Indy would be at the fence watching out for you, eager for you to come and say hello. And these animals are so intelligent and they're emotional and incredibly sensitive, wild animals. As a catkeeper, the experience just changes how you see the natural world forever, I think. Instead of viewing animals as a distant or a separate from human life, you begin to see humans and wildlife as like more connected, sharing the same environment and the future, which we do.
SPEAKER_01It's amazing how that experience has turned into such a powerful story. I think I want to know how do you hope a tiger's message, the book that you've written, would help children and even adults actually to think differently about protecting white life. Because I think some people have the idea of okay, when you want to protect the nature, environment, this is the way to do it. But you also talk a bit about sustainable palm oil there, and I feel like it's quite unique. So, from the tiger message itself, what do you hope people out there learn from the book?
SPEAKER_00I would hope a tiger's message would help see wildlife and the environment differently for all generations, and that they begin to understand that kindness towards animals and care, the environment, truly matter. For adults, I hope the message is a gentle reminder, if you like, that compassion and conservation go hand in hand. And if readers finish the story thinking more carefully about endangered animals, the forest, or the impact humans have on the planet, then I think the story's done something meaningful.
SPEAKER_01So the mention of sustainable palm oil at the end of the book is like I mentioned, it's quite unique and it's kind of targeted, right, on how children can also influence the decisions of parents, or when parents read the book to the children, probably that also will impact them or affect them. Why do you think that particular component is important to you that you insert it at the end of the book? How do you think um books like yours make big topics or sustainability-related topics be more relatable to young readers?
SPEAKER_00Well, for a storyteller like myself, I think it's important because the complex issues like palm oil become something simpler to relate to for children. So many people, especially children, may not realize that palm oil is in many products that they see at home, like snacks, soaps, cosmetics, and shampoos that can affect the forests where animals like tigers live. So a book about a sustainable oil palm becomes more relatable when it follows a child seeing an animal losing its habitat. So ultimately, stories help young readers see that global issue are connected to every day.
SPEAKER_01Beyond a tiger's message, you've written several other books as well that have similar themes. Could you share a bit about your other books and the common theme you hope runs through all your stories?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think you've um seen The Edge of the Rainforest, which tells a story about a young tiger and an orangutan who decide to take matters into their own hands to get their forest back. And the story is surrounded by a number of animals who were taken to the edge of the forest where all the trees have been taken down. And in the book that evening, they have a meeting to discuss all the positive things about the rainforest. And then on the following day, they have all their banners um written and they march towards the edge of the forest where all the world press is waiting for them and they get their forest back. I do have a rather funny book called Why the Tiger Lost His Stripes.
SPEAKER_01That's my favorite, by the way.
SPEAKER_00I can't think why, Farah. So this book is about a young tiger who was on his way over from Ireland to the UK. He got a little bump on the head. And when he got a bump on the head, he became very nervous and anxious. So much so that the following day, he couldn't stop farting. And every time he farted, he blew off some stripes. And by the time he got back to London, he'd farted so much he started looking like a lion. And all the animals thought he was a lion. And so did the lions think he's a lion. But when he was all settled down and all his anxiety and nervousness depleted that evening with all the other tigers, he got his stripes back. So it's based around international vets who are saying that you can have a 400-pound tiger that can be scared as well as children. I did take um, we're talking about Indy. Um, there's a book called The Tiger Who Visited Great Almond Street Hospital, where I actually took a six-month-old tiger up to Great Almond Street as part of animal therapy to see the children. And the children absolutely loved her. I think the visit was supposed to last about around 45 minutes. Um, we were in there for about three and a half hours. We found it very difficult to get out. But everybody loved the tiger. Um, I do have another book called Indy Meets the Lions, which is based around friendship. Just because you look a bit different, you can still be friends. Last but not least, a sunbear in trouble, which is all about a little young sunbear called Uka, who was hand-reared after being rescued in a Sumatran rainforest by the Sumatran Sunbear team. And she's now back at the Fair Sanctuary. And there's going to be a new book coming out later this year. But I haven't given it a book title yet, so I can't tell you what it is.
SPEAKER_01No worries. We'll we'll keep the audience up to date on your new books, definitely. So far, I I feel like I've I've read most of the tiger-themed book that you've written. And also, we did talk prior to this conversation that we're having now, some about stories of Indy and how you made me cry with the story of Indy. Maybe because you've spent a lot of time um with uh Indy the Tiger, what do you think Indy would say if Indie talked to us right now? What would be their biggest role or one message to people around the world, particularly this Tiger's Day?
SPEAKER_00Tough question. I think Indy might turn and say the rainforests belong to all of us, humans and animals too.
SPEAKER_01I think that's very powerful. That's such a beautiful reminder, Martin. Thank you so much.
SPEAKER_00Thank you for talking, Jimmy.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much, Martin. And also we will be sharing some of the links to um the books that Martin has, especially A Tiger's Message, because um I would like to reiterate the messaging in the book uh talks about sustainable palm oil and how is it important for all of us to choose sustainable. And again, thank you so much, Martin, for sharing your story and for showing us that it's never too early to dream, to care, and to roar for nature. I was speaking to our guest, Martin Hill from Indie Publishing, the author of A Tiger's Message. I am Farah Rum, and this is the Pump Podcast.