earthgirl
The New York Times Editors' Choice 2009
earthgirl follows the eco-evolution of sixteen-year-old Sabine Solomon, who is thrown into the fray one afternoon when she's riding her bike downtown to join her friends, and an idling minivan driver carelessly tosses leftovers from McDonald's out the car window, blindsiding Sabine and leaving her covered in plum sauce. When Sabine tosses the garbage back at the offensive driver, an altercation ensues that is captured on the videophones of her friends. In a technological blink, footage is posted on YouTube, and Sabine finds herself at the centre of a heated eco-debate. A crusader is born.
Inspired to greater global consciousness, Sabine quits her part-time job at the Gap for work at an organic food co-op. There she meets Vray Forest, a charismatic, idealistic musician and eco-warrior.
Sabine is enthralled, and she sets out to change her life and influence others, much to the dismay of her meat-eating, toilet-flushing family and her shopaholic girlfriends. But then Vray's activism takes a dark turn, and Sabine is faced with making some difficult and heart-wrenching decisions.
Sabine is an endearing and funny heroine -- smart, curious, self-mocking and self-righteous all at the same time. In her blog she allows readers to tune in to her moods, the music she's listening to and the hottest eco-relevant URLs on the net. As well, her on-line contemporaries enliven her blog with their own sometimes caustic contributions.
earthgirl follows the eco-evolution of sixteen-year-old Sabine Solomon, who is thrown into the fray one afternoon when she's riding her bike downtown to join her friends, and an idling minivan driver carelessly tosses leftovers from McDonald's out the car window, blindsiding Sabine and leaving her covered in plum sauce. When Sabine tosses the garbage back at the offensive driver, an altercation ensues that is captured on the videophones of her friends. In a technological blink, footage is posted on YouTube, and Sabine finds herself at the centre of a heated eco-debate. A crusader is born.
Inspired to greater global consciousness, Sabine quits her part-time job at the Gap for work at an organic food co-op. There she meets Vray Forest, a charismatic, idealistic musician and eco-warrior.
Sabine is enthralled, and she sets out to change her life and influence others, much to the dismay of her meat-eating, toilet-flushing family and her shopaholic girlfriends. But then Vray's activism takes a dark turn, and Sabine is faced with making some difficult and heart-wrenching decisions.
Sabine is an endearing and funny heroine -- smart, curious, self-mocking and self-righteous all at the same time. In her blog she allows readers to tune in to her moods, the music she's listening to and the hottest eco-relevant URLs on the net. As well, her on-line contemporaries enliven her blog with their own sometimes caustic contributions.
Awards
Canadian Children's Book Centre's Best Books for Kids & Teens
(2010: Selected)
The New York Times
(2009: Editors' Choice)
Ruth & Sylvia Shwartz Children's Book Awards
(2009: Nominee)
(2010: Selected)
The New York Times
(2009: Editors' Choice)
Ruth & Sylvia Shwartz Children's Book Awards
(2009: Nominee)
Reviews
"A wonderful read for any aspiring or devoted activist."
- School Library Journal
"earthgirl is smart, funny, attuned to the times, and completely appropriate for its intended audience . . . Not only is the book entertaining, but it's educational as well, without being obvious about it."
- Quill & Quire
"This sharp debut novel with enormous teen appeal will inspire readers to question Sabine's tactics and their own impact on earth."
- Kirkus Reviews
"The greening of Sabine unfolds in an interesting mix of blogs and her own fast-paced, in-your-face narrative. Her voice is well laced with the 2009 teen vernacular, and an overload of burgeoning eco-consciousness that gives off more than a whiff of satire."
- The Globe and Mail
"In her debut novel, Cowan entertains and educates about ecological issues and relationships. . . . The focus on computer communication through website links, blogging . . . adds a sense of reality to the fiction and should make it more relevant to the young readers it targets. It may also be an eye-opener for their parents . . ."
- The Canadian Jewish News
". . . witty. . . . [Sabine's awakening is] subtly and thoroughly explored by the author"
- The New York Times, Sunday Book Review
"earthgirl is a refreshing and girl empowering novel that I highly recommend."
- Children's Book News
- School Library Journal
"earthgirl is smart, funny, attuned to the times, and completely appropriate for its intended audience . . . Not only is the book entertaining, but it's educational as well, without being obvious about it."
- Quill & Quire
"This sharp debut novel with enormous teen appeal will inspire readers to question Sabine's tactics and their own impact on earth."
- Kirkus Reviews
"The greening of Sabine unfolds in an interesting mix of blogs and her own fast-paced, in-your-face narrative. Her voice is well laced with the 2009 teen vernacular, and an overload of burgeoning eco-consciousness that gives off more than a whiff of satire."
- The Globe and Mail
"In her debut novel, Cowan entertains and educates about ecological issues and relationships. . . . The focus on computer communication through website links, blogging . . . adds a sense of reality to the fiction and should make it more relevant to the young readers it targets. It may also be an eye-opener for their parents . . ."
- The Canadian Jewish News
". . . witty. . . . [Sabine's awakening is] subtly and thoroughly explored by the author"
- The New York Times, Sunday Book Review
"earthgirl is a refreshing and girl empowering novel that I highly recommend."
- Children's Book News