Operation Redwood

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

Synopsis:

About the Author

What Our Readers Are Saying

Add a comment for a chance to win!

Average customer rating based on 2 comments:

Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com, January 11, 2010 (view all comments by Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com)
Twelve-year-old Julian Carter-Li has no idea that adventure will soon find him. All he knows is that his mother is on a grant-paid trip to China that should enhance her career as a photographer, while she’s gone he has to stay with his mean-spirited aunt and uncle since no one else is available to take care of him, and he may have to spend his entire summer shuttling from one undesirable camp after another.

He is resigned to his fate until he inadvertently reads an email intended for his uncle that launches a relationship with a girl named Robin who lives on a farm in California’s redwood country. Before he knows it, Julian is working against his uncle’s company to save a grove of old-growth redwood trees from the saw, and he’s taking extreme-for-him measures to get the attention of anyone who may have the power to save the trees. All while learning about farm life and personal responsibility.

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French combines eco-adventure with common childhood fantasies: to live in a tree house far above the rest of the world and to make grown-ups pay attention to what a kid has to say. While there’s no doubt the story take a pro-environment stance, it’s not preachy in getting a message across. Instead we see Julian, Robin and their friends Danny and Ariel learn how they can make a difference to something they feel is very important. And though the ending may have a touch of the stuff of fairy tales, I found Operation Redwood a delightful and fun adventure to read. I recommend it for mother-daughter book clubs with girls nine to twelve.

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(2 of 3 readers found this comment helpful)

report this comment

Paula M., July 21, 2009 (view all comments by Paula M.)
My husband and I recently planned a trip to Yosemite with our great nephew, 13, from Texas. We were looking for a book that would be a wonderful read-aloud around the campfire... this fit the bill perfectly! The characters are richly defined and "real". The titles of each chapter created anticipation for all. Each day we anticipated our reading time and much of the time we snuck in "extra" reading sessions! While it was written for the teen reader, my husband and I enjoyed it immensely. We live not far from where the story took place, making it great fun for us. The Author's Note was an excellent historical and timely perspective for the story's end. We would highly recommend this read. It would also make a great classroom read-aloud for 4th - 7th grade classrooms if looking to tie in current environmental issues and with creative and adventurous literature! All-in-all... I would seek out this author for her 2nd book even without my great nephew as an excuse!

Was this comment helpful? | Yes | No
(5 of 6 readers found this comment helpful)

report this comment

View all 2 comments

Product Details

ISBN:

9780810983540

Author:

French, S Terrell

Publisher:

Amulet Books

Author:

French, Susannah T.

Author:

French, S. Terrell

Subject:

Trees

Subject:

Friendship

Subject:

General

Subject:

General Juvenile Fiction

Subject:

Grandmothers

Subject:

Nature & the Natural World - Environment

Subject:

Social Issues - General

Subject:

Children s-Environmental Fiction

Copyright:

2009

Edition Description:

Hardcover w/Dust Jacket

Publication Date:

20090531

Binding:

HARDCOVER

Grade Level:

Young adult

Language:

English

Illustrations:

Y

Pages:

368

Dimensions:

8.25 x 5.50 in

Age Level:

08-12