Green Rising

By Author / Illustrator

Lauren James, Beci Kelly

Genre

Dystopian

Age range(s)

11+

Publisher

Walker Books Ltd

ISBN

9781406384673

Format

Paperback / softback

Published

02-09-2021

Synopsis

Set in a near-future world on the brink of ecological catastrophe, Lauren James's novel is a gripping, witty and romantic call to arms.

Gabrielle is a climate-change activist who shoots to fame when she becomes the first teenager to display a supernatural ability to grow plants from her skin. Hester is the millionaire daughter of an oil tycoon and the face of the family business. Theo comes from a long line of fishermen, but his parents are struggling to make ends meet.

On the face of it, the three have very little in common. Yet when Hester and Theo join Gabrielle and legions of other teenagers around the world in developing the strange new "Greenfingers" power, it becomes clear that to use their ability for good, they'll need to learn to work together. But in a time of widespread corruption and greed, there are plenty of profit-hungry organizations who want to use the Greenfingers for their own ends. And not everyone would like to see the Earth saved... As they navigate first love and family expectations, can the three teenagers pull off the ultimate heist and bring about a green rising?

"Lauren James is a genius." SFX Magazine "Lauren James isn't just headed for the stars - she's already there." Samantha Shannon, author of The Priory of the Orange Tree

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Reviews

Hester is the daughter of the owner of Dalex, a huge company with huge earth damaging emissions, but she is also a 'Greenfinger', a person who can grow plants from within their body. When her dad asks her to head up a project using 'Greenfinger' teenagers, she meets, for the first time, with others who have the same powers. During their training sessions Hester learns quite a few truths; What does her dad really want to do with this Greenfinger project? Why is there such a focus on Mars? and why does she have a special connection with Theo? Meanwhile, in the background, Gabrielle, another Greenfinger and activist, is going around trying to get the message across about climate change, via social media etc. Will these three teenagers, with the help of other Greenfingers be able to reduce the climate change effects before it's too late for the planet?

Green Rising is a book about climate change, about what could happen in the future if we don't start making positive changes now. However, it's not all doom and gloom but tackles real ways that we could help. The author has added useful notes at the back of the book with ideas for this. The chapters are quite short and ending with social media transcripts which make, for me, the book stand out as this is how YA's tend to communicate today.

All of this makes the book totally suitable for 11+ readers of any range. The story would also be great for intervention/book club groups due to the many discussion points that can be raised. This is a fantasy based book with a dystopian feel and is a thoughtful read with issues that we are dealing with now, so it's well worth a read.

384 pages / Reviewed by Linda Brown, school librarian