Combine environmental activism with a bunch of smart-thinking kids and a seemingly impossible task at hand, throw in tree houses and ancient redwoods, complex characters and funny lines, and you've got one of last year's best novels for the middle grade set. On February 12, 2010, Operation Redwood written by San Francisco author S. Terrell French won the children's fiction category of the 2010 Green Earth Book Awards.
Set in San Francisco, the book tells the story of a 12-year-old boy fighting a big corporation with his friends to save a grove of redwood trees from being cut down. Could it be just another eco-adventure riding the green wave? Actually yes and no. Yes the book is an eco-adventure, and well told at that, but it's also a strong story about family and friendship and it goes way beyond the environmental message. The book is about empowerment, making things happen despite a sticky situation. The way it shows ordinary kids getting organized to tackle larger issues to preserve their forests is both inspiring and realistic.
Since S. Terrell French lives in San Francisco's foggy neighborhoods (very befitting for a redwood lover), we decided to ask her a few questions about her book Operation Redwood. Drum roll. Here comes the author.
Q: How did you come up with the idea for the book?
A: The book began with an image of a lonely boy uncovering an e-mail from a faraway girl. I was reading a lot to my own kids, and I wanted to write a story they would like, one with suspense and humor, a tree house adventure. As I wrote, I found the book was also about other things: friendship, family, money, land, betrayal, fantasy. Herb Kohl’s ideas about social justice in children’s books were floating around in my head. And I was familiar with the battles to protect the old-growth redwoods in Headwaters Forest during the 1990’s.
Q: Can you tell us more about your experience as an environmental lawyer?
A: I’ve worked for many years with a small land use firm in San Francisco that represents public agencies and environmental groups throughout California. One case involved timber harvesting regulations. In another case, a small group of people worked for years to protect a forest near Carmel.
Q: Give us one example of one of your school visits in San Francisco where you thought that your book might make a difference?
A: It’s always hard to know what will click with kids. I recently spoke with a group of sixth-graders. Their teacher had read Operation Redwood to them, and I was surprised at what they remembered as their favorite scenes; some were very small scenes, for example, where Julian is building a dam with three-year-old Jo-Jo. Several kids have told me that it’s their fantasy to live in a tree house in the forest, and that’s certainly a fantasy I had as a child. Many kids are already thinking deeply about environmental issues; one boy asked me if it wasn’t ironic that my book was about saving trees and yet trees were cut down to print the book. Fortunately, my editor had agreed to print the book on recycled/FSC-certified paper, so that led to a discussion of recycling and sustainable timber harvesting.
Q: Which is your favorite redwood park in the Bay Area?
A: I love Muir Woods. I even love the tiny grove of redwoods in the Botanical Gardens in Golden Gate Park. Butano and the East Bay Regional Parks have beautiful redwoods. And my sister was married under the redwoods in Samuel P. Taylor State Park, so they have a special meaning to me.
Q: What's your advice to local parents?
A: I’m not sure I’m qualified to give advice, but I do think it’s important for children to spend time outdoors, in places that feel wild to them, even if it’s just a weekend camping trip or a day hike. I try to protect my kids from environmental messages that are frightening and demoralizing. Better to try to teach “reduce, reuse, recycle.” And wonder. And observation.
French is already working on a new book for the same age range in San Francisco. If you want to meet the author or learn more about redwood logging, check out her Operation Redwood website. It's choke-full of good redwood stuff.
If you are in a book club or want a book that will leave to your children a message that sticks with them, this is the book to get at your local bookstore. Read it even if you don't have kids! it's really a great read for all ages. Printed on recycled paper of course.
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