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Environmental theme in The Glass Table
by Leigh K Cunninghamin The Glass Table
16 Oct 2009 | 12 Comments
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I have just returned from a visit to my hometown of Rockhampton, Australia situated on the Tropic of Capricorn. The last time I was there, it was beautiful and green after the rains, but alas, this time, it was dry and desolate. A bushfire raged on the outskirts of town threatening to cross the summit of Mount Archer into the hillside area where my brother and family live. Water is still a valuable commodity and none is wasted greening footpaths that are now brown masses of dried grass crisp enough to ignite a blazing fire. It is not how I remember my hometown. When we were kids, it would rain heavily during the school holidays. The creeks would flood and we would float down Moores Creek on tyre tubes, or swing from ropes hung in trees. I haven't seen flowing water in Moores Creek for a decade or more. In The Glass Table, twelve children are cast into a spell to live in the river Kai as spirits. The children learn that what humans do above, beside and near the river, affects their living conditions. I hope it is an interesting and fun way to convey the message, and all done in a fantasy setting to make it much less of a lecture and more of a suggestion which may influence later thoughts and attitudes. Regards
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Comments (12)
Thanks, Todd - yes, aware of Live Earth Run for Water, and will be shuffling along for 6k. Perhaps I can carry a knapsack of books!
19 Oct 2009, Leigh K Cunningham, www.leighkcunningham.com
I suppose you would already be aware that Live Earth are holding a Run for Water event in March 2010. Sounds like there's some synergy there with your children's books! Good timing.
18 Oct 2009, Todd Jaynes
It's so good to see children's fiction with an environmental theme - that's where we need to see a shift in our attitudes. It's essential to nurture a generation of environmentally-aware. After all, they'll be the ones to suffer from our mistakes.
18 Oct 2009, Katherine Charles
Laney, that's great. So glad your daughter enjoyed it. TGT II should be released around March 2010 - it's currently being edited then has to go for appraisal.
18 Oct 2009, Leigh K Cunningham, www.leighkcunningham.com
My daughter has just finished reading The Glass Table and absolutely loved it, Leigh. Congratulations! However she now desperately wants to read the next book in the series - how long does she have to wait?
18 Oct 2009, Laney T from OH
It's been a long, cold winter here in South Africa. Here's hoping it's spring soon!
18 Oct 2009, Allan Grayshore
This is certainly something that's on everyone's minds. Sorry about your hometown.
16 Oct 2009, Kay, www.andbottlewasher.blogspot.com
There have been so many typhoons and floods in your area (S.E. Asia) of late, not to mention the tsunami of 2004 and Katrina, droughts, more floods in USA and Europe. It must add up to something weird going on.
16 Oct 2009, Kat Walsh
Lucky we live in Singapore where it still rains! I come from a dry part of India, and now when I go home, it is more noticeable after all the green there is here.
16 Oct 2009, Paksha
Sorry, no - forgot to take camera with me, but will add some images. Thanks for the suggestion, Sandy.
16 Oct 2009, Leigh K Cunningham, www.leighkcunningham.com
No hometown pics this time?
16 Oct 2009, Sandra Williamson
I think it would be pretty hard for anyone to argue that the weather hasn't changed dramatically. It's most of the news these days.
16 Oct 2009, Molly Hardwick