Why am I passionate about this?
I live in a town near a wildlife refuge. I frequently encounter wildlife, including turtles, in my neighborhood. Trouble at Turtle Pond was inspired by volunteer work my son and I did with a local conservation group, fostering endangered Blandingās turtles. Although my previous books were mysteries set in other countries, I have become interested in the mysteries we can find in our own back yards and in other community spaces we share with nature. I love eco-fiction about kids who love animals, who are ānature detectives,ā who have strong opinions, and who are working for the environment, recognizing that every small step makes a difference.
Diana's book list on young environmentalists
Why did Diana love this book?
When I was a kid, I wanted to rescue animals. I remember taking crabs home from the beach in milk cartons. Sadly, they didnāt make it ā nor did they need rescuing in the first place. 12-year-old Madi Lewis is a savvier rescuer, an āanimal whispererā trained by her late grandmother, an animal rehabber, to keep careful records and do basic caretaking. But Madiās parents have made it clear: no more foster animals. When Madi and her friends find two orphaned beaver kits in a dam, she has to keep it a secret ā hard to do as they uncover a local conspiracy to eliminate beavers at Lake Wild. This fast-paced eco-mystery teaches a lot about conservation, ethics, and, of course, beavers! I love Madi as a young Jane Goodall type, too.
1 author picked Rescue at Lake Wild as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.
In this funny and moving animals-in-peril adventure, a twelve-year-old girl and her two best friends determine to rescue two orphaned beaver kits - and soon find themselves trying to solve a local environmental crisis. Perfect for fans of Pax and A Boy Called Bat. Everyone knows that twelve-year-old Madison "Madi" Lewis is not allowed to bring home any more animals. After she's saved hairless mice, two birds, a rabbit, and a stray tom cat that ended up destroying the front porch, Madi's parents decide that if they find one more stray animal in the house, she won't be allowed toā¦