Green Thumb

Green Thumb

Author: Rob Thomas

Publisher: Simon & Schuster (1999)

ISBN: 068981780

4 (out of 5) STARS

Summary: Thirteen -year-old Grady Jacobs spends the summer in the Amazon rain forest working on botany research and discovers a secret language for controlling trees.

Review: This book proves the age old adage ‘Do not judge a book by its cover.’ This is not a book I would normally pick up. But I have been trying to read books that are out of my normal comfort zone. After having this book at home for nearly two weeks I decided to give it a try. AND I was pleasantly surprised.

It is not realistic by any means, but still intriguing. The main character is a brilliant thirteen year old botanist. He travels alone to the Amazon rain forest to work on a research team. Grady realizes there is something suspicious about Dr. Carter and his new species of super trees. After Dr. Carter tries to send Grady home, Grady escapes into the jungle to try and solve the mysteries surrounding the research team.

An interesting side theme of the book concerns environmental issues. What will happen and what is happening to our earth as we destroy the rain forests? Can and should mankind genetically alter plants and what are the consequences? This book is a great introduction to some of these important environmental questions.

This book is full of action and adventure. I would compare it to a Die Hard movie with Bruce Willis, but rated PG. This would be a great book to recommend to reluctant readers, but avid readers would enjoy it as well.