Thursday, March 23, 2023

Luna & Me: The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest

 


Shirley J.                       Juvenile Literature                   Social Activism, Saving the Giant Redwoods        Luna & Me:The True Story of a Girl Who Lived in a Tree to Save a Forest by Jenny Sue Kostecki-Shaw    40 pages

Based on the true story of Julia Butterfly Hill, who climbed 180 feet up in a 1,000 year old redwood tree in Humboldt County, California to save it and the redwood forest there from Pacific Lumber, a division of the Maxxam Corporation from the environmentally destructive process of clear-cutting the ancient trees.   Julia thought it might take a week or two to stop the company from wanting to destroy these ancient behemoths but she ended up living in the giant redwood, "Luna," from Dec. 10, 1997 to December 18, 1999!  Two years and 8 days!    Because of the plundering of the redwoods to the right of "Luna" a massive landslide occurred because there were no trees holding it back and many homes in the town of Stafford were wiped out.    In actuality, Hill endured weather (El Nino storms), harrassment on the ground and in the air (helicopters) from the company,  a ten day siege by security officers from the company and the utter sorrow of witnessing the destruction of this wonderful ancient forest (one of the last in the world!).   She didn't plan on becoming a champion for the environment she just let her love and belief in the cause of saving this amazing tree and her strong conviction in doing the right thing saving a 1,000 year old living thing from those who did not see its beauty and worth for itself but only for its value as a commodity.   Though Julia "Butterfly" was 23 when this event occurred, the story shows her as if she were a young girl in the story.   Still beautifully and well told.   I recommend this one to listeners on up to senior citizens. 





No comments:

Post a Comment