Remembering green by Lesley Beake
Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2009. ISBN 9781845079628.
Middle Primary. Well recommended. With global warming covering most of
the earth and sea this novel, set in 2200 in South Africa sees the
Tekkies desperately needing to find a new source of fresh water and so
Rain and her beautiful lion Saa are kidnapped. It's about a
nation's desire to control all around, but realising that even with all
the modern technological knowledge change is coming and Rain and Saa
are part of that. Help is needed. Rain is befriended by Sharon whose
grandfather helped build 'The Island'. She is bent on seeing Saa
and offers Rain a way to freedom. Tension builds before Rain,
with her 'old knowledge' and the help of Ghau, and the The Writer who
knew Rain's Grandmother, are able to escape the island just before she
was to be the sacrifice to bring rain! Simply written, this is an
interesting novel to discuss with middle primary students who are part
of the global warming debate. Well worth reading.
Sue Nosworthy