“The trees know.”

A cryptic message, three young people from three different times, a society of time travelers, and a mission to help the trees save the future of the planet. The clock is ticking.

Thirteen-year old Ruth lives in Sweetwater in 1896. She longs for a new life and for the love of her parents. Every day, she reads with her elderly nana who often confuses
stories with real life. From her poetry book, Nana gives Ruth a piece of paper containing a cryptic message. When Nana passes away suddenly, Ruth wonders if solving the mystery of Nana’s note could lead her to this new life. She hurries to her special place in nature, The Listening Tree, for help.

Transported through time by the Tree, she meets Michael and Arabeth, both connected to the Tree in the future. Arabeth’s science teacher, Fuzzy Grumbles, appears and explains they are members of the Society of Rainwalkers-humans able to time travel through trees. They have a mission: stop a humanmade event threatening the life of The Listening Tree in 1896 to create a parallel universe where a strengthened Tree will survive future climate disasters.

A geneticist from Fuzzy’s past, Dr. Martin Millstone, promises to stop them. His goal: populate a climate devastated Earth with his own genetic creations.

Readers in upper middle grades will be drawn into the excitement of time
travel, of working together to solve clues that save their world, and of finding strength and power in connections with each other and nature.

Available on All Things That Matter Press, Bookshop.org and Amazon.

Educator Resources

Readers’ Theater for The Listening Tree

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