Characters | I Speak For The Tree

I speak for the trees

by julia edwards

a middle grade novel for ages 9-13

WHEN THE TREES WE LOVE

ARE UNDER ATTACK...

WHAT DO WE DO?

STAND UP!

FIGHT BACK!

Who's Who

“If the trees are at war, then
so am I.”

Phoenix Reising

An A+ overachieving 8th grader who plans to walk her tasseled loafers away from this hick town as fast as humanly possible...until she hears what the trees have to say.

“How can I sit in class while the planet is dying?”

Hope Rainbow Reising

The 16-year-old activist can usually be found at town hall protesting for the climate all by herself...and singing her original song, “The Giving Tree is Gonna Get You.”

“Where there's a will, there's a way!”

Joan Reising (A.K.A.
The Mushroom Mom)

Eternal optimist, wearer of rainbow muumuus, and loud-mouth Mama Bear, she makes Phoenix’s desire to “be normal” an impossibility.

“Protect
those who cannot protect themselves.”

Walt Reising

Tree scientist and activist…he dives deep into his research. Perhaps too deep? He's been missing 183 days...until Phoenix hears something mysterious in the tree roots.

“Get that
dirty tree hugger out of my tree!”

Donny Drexler

Ruining planet Earth one parking lot at a time, The Paving King wants to build an amusement park on Phoenix’s land. After they cut down all the trees, it’ll be perfect!

Lonely Man Leaning against an urban wall.jpg

“Whadda
you lookin' at?”

Junior

The swaggering son of the Paving King mocks and bullies and wears a “Climate Change is a Hoax” T-shirt to the Earth Day assembly. He’s The Worst of the Worst. Or is he?

Huge tree with damaged bark. The tree was scorched by a lightning strike..jpg

“We are only as strong as
the weakest
tree.”

The Lightning Tree

(Pinus strobus)

An ancient white pine that suffered a lightning strike is under attack...by men with chainsaws. Will she survive the war?

The famous Angel Oak, outside of Charleston, South Carolina. The tree is at least 400 year

“It's time
to teach
the two-legs
a lesson.”

Fangorn (Quercus rubra)

The Mother Tree of the oak grove and Hope’s home away from home is known for giving nasty splinters. But she wouldn’t be a part of the revolution madness. Would she?

It's like...hello!
What the heck are you waiting for?
Someone else to save the planet?
––Phoenix Reising, age 13

When the tree revolution comes...

what side will you be on?

FOR MANUSCRIPT, CONTACT THE AUTHOR

jce

julia c edwards • writer/teacher

I speak for the trees

by julia edwards

FIGHT BACK!

Who's Who

“If the trees are at war, then
so am I.”

“How can I sit in class while the planet is dying?”

“Where there's a will, there's a way!”

“Protect
those who cannot protect themselves.”

“Get that
dirty tree hugger out of my tree!”

“Whadda
you lookin' at?”

“We are only as strong as
the weakest
tree.”

“It's time
to teach
the two-legs
a lesson.”

It's like...hello!
What the heck are you waiting for?
Someone else to save the planet?
––Phoenix Reising, age 13

I speak for the trees

by julia edwards

FIGHT BACK!

Who's Who

“If the trees are at war, then so am I.”

“How can I sit in class while the planet is dying?”

“Where there's a will, there's a way!”

“Protect those who cannot protect themselves.”

“Get that dirty tree hugger out of my tree!”

“Whadda you lookin' at?”

“We are only as strong as the weakest tree.”

“It's time to teach the two-legs a lesson.”

It's like...hello! What the heck are you waiting for? Someone else to save the planet? ––Phoenix Reising, age 13

“If the trees are at war, then
so am I.”

“Protect
those who cannot protect themselves.”

“Get that
dirty tree hugger out of my tree!”

“Whadda
you lookin' at?”

“We are only as strong as
the weakest
tree.”

“It's time
to teach
the two-legs
a lesson.”

It's like...hello!
What the heck are you waiting for?
Someone else to save the planet?
––Phoenix Reising, age 13