Fern Verdant and the Silver Rose

February 1, 2009
Gr 4-8-Fern Verdant, daughter of two botanists, is unhappy when her family moves to remote Oregon so that her father can study a recently discovered fern. Her life gets even worse when her mother, Lily, disappears after going to the aid of a sick plant, the rare Silver Rose. Lily is kidnapped by the henchmen of evil, anti-environment Henry Saagwalla, who wants to unravel the mystery of how she knows which plants are in need of her help. Lily's secret is revealed to Fern on the morning of her 13th birthday, when she learns that she has inherited her family's gift for communicating telepathically with plants and will follow her mother as their next protector. Fern uses her new abilities to pursue Lily's trail, encountering a boat of independent orphans and a variety of strong-willed plants as she travels to Sri Lanka. While the ultimate reunion of the Verdant family won't surprise readers, there are enough plot twists to catch and hold their attention. Though the depictions of the adults are a bit exaggerated, Fern's search for her mother and the decisions she is forced to make add depth to her character, and her growth in her communication with plants is realistic and intriguing."Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI"

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