I loved Wildoak because how the tree communicates with the main character, Maggie, reminds me of how trees inspire me. One of my passions is exploring inter-species communication and human connectedness with plants and animals.
This book does this in such a tender way, as we empathize with the way Maggie is teased and embarrassed in school due to her stutter. Eventually, Maggie finds the courage to speak up and use her voice on behalf of an endangered snow leopard and an endangered forest. I can really relate to the courage it takes to overcome self-doubt and speak up, as I am hoping to do with some of my own writing.
Wildoak is also a great story and kept me turning pages. I laughed, cried, and finished feeling a sense of realistic hope that we can plant the seeds of a more loving and healthy world.
An endangered forest. An abandoned snow leopard. A child who only feels comfortable talking to animals. When fates collide, the unbelievable can happen ... 'Put me in mind of Dodi Smith and Gerald Durrell at their very best - enchanting and thrilling in equal measure.' Piers Torday
'Reads like a classic. I loved it.' Pam Munoz Ryan
Maggie's stutter makes going to school hard. She will do almost anything to avoid speaking in class - even if that leads to trouble.
Sent to stay in the depths of Cornwall with a grandfather she barely knows, Maggie discovers an abandoned snow…
The Village of Bones was a fantastic reimagining of how early goddess-based cultures may have lived. It reminded me of classics like The Mists of Avalon and took me into a prehistoric time when power was shared equally between men and women.
The author did extensive research into archeology, and although the book is a fast-paced, entertaining read, her knowledge of goddess figurines, cave paintings, and ancient cultures shines through.
I’m always trying to envision how humanity could live more peacefully together. As long as we accept the paradigm that human nature is warlike and that there will always be war, we won’t be able to imagine another way. This book richly imagines another way of life right at the cusp of warrior cultures beginning to take over.
"Mary Mackey's The Village of Bones, gives us the vivid adventures of The Clan of the Cave Bear, the magic of The Mists of Avalon and Lord of the Rings, and the beauty of Avatar. Filled with the belief that love drives out fear, it contains stunning twists that will leave you wanting more." —Dorothy Hearst, author of the Wolf Chronicles
In 4386 B.C., a young priestess named Sabalah conceives a magical child with a mysterious stranger named Arash. Sabalah names the child Marrah. This child will save the Goddess-worshiping people of Europe from nomad…
This book may be one of the best books I’ve read in my entire life! I live in the redwoods of northern California and have been discovering the incredible peace of being in unspoiled ancient forests. I also share Celtic ancestry with the author, and it was fascinating to learn that they had a whole language called Ogham based on trees.
Her book is easy-to-read autobiographical nonfiction and filled with science, magic, and wonder about the importance of forests. For a long time now, I’ve been wondering if trees could be sentient. After reading Diana’s book, I’m sure of it.
Diana Beresford-Kroeger - a world-recognised botanist and medical biochemist - has revolutionised our understanding of the natural world with her startling insights into the hidden life of trees. In this riveting memoir, she uncovers the roots of her discoveries in her extraordinary childhood in Ireland. Soon after, her brilliant mind bloomed into an illustrious scientific career that melds the intricacies of the natural world with the truths of traditional Celtic wisdom. To Speak for the Trees uniquely blends the story of Beresford-Kroeger's incredible life and her outstanding achievement as a scientist. It elegantly shows us how forests can not only…
In the spirit of traditional high fantasies like Narnia, The Hobbit, and The Wizard of Oz, Wind takes readers on an adventure that begins when an earthquake tumbles Katie onto another world. Katie's only chance to get home is to learn to accept herself and cooperate with an arrogant alien boy.
On the journey, the two of them encounter all sorts of extraordinary characters, including a shape-shifting tree spirit, water god, nature devas, and the ethereal Winged Ones, who are the only beings capable of taking them home.
Spiced with environmental science, mythology, lush settings, poetic language, and beauty, Wind takes children on an imaginary adventure that is full of heart, character growth, and wisdom.
