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Uplift

By Jessica Mann

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Overview

When her high mountain wilderness is threatened by humans, a rebellious young bird must teach others how to work together to save their common home.

WINNER OF:
  • North Street Book Prize, first prize
  • IBPA Book Awards Silver medal
  • National Independent Excellence Awards
  • Readers’ Favorite Bronze medal
  • NYC Big Book Awards Winner

PRAISE for UPLIFT:

“Enchanting and enlightening” —Readers’ Favorite 5-stars

“Remarkable… a standout novel that deserves to be cherished and shared” —IBPA Book Awards

“Poignant, lyrical, and elegantly written, Uplift joins Watership Down, The Secret of NIMH, and other stories that use animals to illuminate human concerns. Doesn't just take flight, it soars.” —BlueInk Reviews “Best books of 2025”

“A riveting must-read” —Psychology Today

“A beautiful portrait of nature’s cycles” —Publishers Weekly/Booklife

“Exceptionally beautiful and inspiring… Highly recommended to anyone looking for a heartfelt story” —Online Book Club

“A great read... Part ancient myth, part experimental fiction” —The Nature Conservancy

“An enchanting allegorical story” —Foreword/Clarion

Currently rated 4.7 stars on Amazon

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Description

Born in a spruce tree high in a mountain wilderness, Columbina and her brothers grow up listening to ancestral tales through long winters and harvesting pine seeds in summer. Brilliant and rebellious, as she comes of age she begins to question her clan’s traditions and befriend others beyond her species. But when their common home is threatened by humans, Columbina must decide how far she will she go to protect her world.

A richly imaginative novel told through avian eyes, Uplift explores the strength of community, the power of interconnection, and the impact of environmental change. An inspiring, lyrical story with heart and purpose. Perfect for fans of Wild Dark Shore and The Overstory.

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About The Author

Jessica Mann is an award-winning writer and a master naturalist with a 35-year career in the environmental field. Uplift, her debut novel, won numerous literary awards and earned praise for its lyrical prose, immersive realism, and eco-themes. She divides her time between Teton Valley, ID and Ojai, CA.

To learn more about her or the book please visit her website at https://jessicamann.org 

The author is donating a portion of profits from the sale of Uplift to organizations dedicated to protecting birds and nature.

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Book details

  • Genre:fiction
  • Sub-genre:Animals
  • Language:English
  • Pages:288
  • eBook ISBN:9798350968132
  • Paperback ISBN:9798350968125

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Book Reviews

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Cynthia
An uplifting journey into the natural world What a delightful book! ‘Uplift’ takes us to beautiful and fascinating places we can only imagine. Starkly stunning alpine landscapes are described, through the seasons, from the eyes, ears and minds of the creatures that live there. Columbina, a precocious Clark’s Nutcracker befriends Halcyon, a wise and empathetic Kingfisher and the tale that weaves from this unlikely encounter introduces us to a wonderful collection of animals, insects, trees and eventually, human presence, surviving together in a fragile and intricate environment. The personalities of the creatures are completely believable - what it might be like to be a freshly born bird looking up at the world from inside a crowded nest, or flying with your clan from tree to tree in desperate search of food, or trying to figure out what might be the cause of lakes drying up or what is that noisy and smelly thing churning up snow. The story leads to an inevitable confrontation between man and forest creatures and the ending is heartbreaking as well as heartwarming - leaving the reader uplifted and enlightened. Reading this book is pure joy. Read more
Liz
What we can learn from animals I finished reading Uplift this weekend and enjoyed it very much. I think of it as a fable, because the characters are forest animals and plants who teach us important lessons in the course of their adventures. Jessica is a naturalist and the story is supported by accurate descriptions of animal behavior, climate and other natural phenomena. The book's heroine, a young Clark's Nutcracker named Columbina, is highly intelligent; she is able to foresee disastrous events and enlist other creatures to help her avert them. It's unusual to read a book told entirely from the point of view of animals, but I quickly became absorbed by the story, and the animals' unique voices rang true to me. Scientists are learning more every day about the abilities of trees to communicate with each other, altruism and cooperation between animals and many other aspects of nature that were once believed impossible. Jessica uses real science and familiar species to encourage us to work together to address climate change and habitat loss. Read more
Sandra
Uplift The title of this book says it all. It is a wonderful story that draws you into the complex world of birds and nature with its descriptive imagery and character development. The important story message highlights the environmental challenges all living beings face in today’s world. Read more