..

School Library Journal

FERN VERDANT & THE SILVER ROSE
263p. CIP. Knopf/Borzoi. 2008. Tr $15.99.
ISBN 978-0-375-85213-8; PLB $18.99. ISBN 978-0-375-95213-5. LC 2008003545.

Gr 4-8–Fern Verdant, daughter of two botanists, is unhappy when her family moves to remote Oregon so that her father can study a recently discovered fern. Her life gets even worse when her mother, Lily, disappears after going to the aid of a sick plant, the rare Silver Rose. Lily is kidnapped by the henchmen of evil, anti-environment Henry Saagwalla, who wants to unravel the mystery of how she knows which plants are in need of her help. Lily’s secret is revealed to Fern on the morning of her 13th birthday, when she learns that she has inherited her family’s gift for communicating telepathically with plants and will follow her mother as their next protector. Fern uses her new abilities to pursue Lily’s trail, encountering a boat of independent orphans and a variety of strong-willed plants as she travels to Sri Lanka. While the ultimate reunion of the Verdant family won’t surprise readers, there are enough plot twists to catch and hold their attention. Though the depictions of the adults are a bit exaggerated, Fern’s search for her mother and the decisions she is forced to make add depth to her character, and her growth in her communication with plants is realistic and intriguing

Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI

Kirkus Reviews
October 1, 2008 edition

FERN VERDANT & THE SILVER ROSE

Fern Verdant’s parents are fanatical botanists—just look at what they named her! It’s not surprising, then, that Fern’s mother Lily embarks on a mission to save a rare silver rose; the surprise is that she doesn’t come back. Fern is desolate until she realizes that she has the power to communicate with plants, as does her mother, and that she can use this gift to locate and rescue Lily, who has been kidnapped by the evil, nature-hating Henry Saagwalla.......with clever, witty narration, a likable and earnest main character and a plant community filled with unique personalities, this one’s coming up roses. (Fiction. 10-14)