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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.

Praise for Uplift
“Enchanting and enlightening. . . . A poignant reminder of the environmental challenges of today. . . . Overall, a highly recommended read for its captivating narrative and important central message.” 
—A Readers’ Favorite 5-star book 

“A riveting must-read for everyone who wants to know what birds are thinking and feeling from their point of view. . . . A compelling and moving story with an important message.” 
—Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., University of Colorado-Boulder and award-winning author of The Emotional Lives of Animals 

“A beautiful portrait of nature’s cycles. . . . From the beginning of this thoughtful novel, readers will grasp the beautiful symbiosis between Columbina’s family and nature, and the vital interconnectedness of their environment.” 
—A BookLife “All A’s” review

"Reading like part ancient myth and part experimental, fiction, (Uplift) is a great read for a cold winter's night, transporting you deep into the ROcky Mountains with some of its most fascinating inhabitants."
—The Nature Conservancy, Cool Green Science holiday books 2024
 
CURRENTLY RATED 5-STARS by Amazon readers! Read more at: https://www.amazon.com/Uplift-Jessica-Mann

**The author will be donating her profits from the sale of Uplift to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting birds and nature.**
Read more

Description

Born in a spruce tree to a proud clan of Clark's Nutcrackers, Columbina and her brothers spend long winter nights in the nest, listening to the elders recite the old tales, while in summer they collect the rich seeds of the ancient Whitebark pines that they depend on for survival.

But Columbina, with her sharp intellect and deep curiosity, begins to question the old ways and traditions of the clan. She befriends others—birds and animals not of her own kind—and learns of the Tall Ones, fearsome creatures of the southland who bring death and destruction. And while her family remains in denial, Columbina realizes the growing peril.

How much is Columbina willing to risk for others? And can she lead them against the danger threatening their common home?

A rich, mythical story told through nonhuman eyes about the bonds of family and the joys of friendship. It may just change the way you see birds forever.

Read more

About the author

Jessica Mann is a writer and naturalist living in Teton Valley, Idaho. Uplift is her third novel.

Read more

Book details

Genre:FICTION

Subgenre:Nature & the Environment

Language:English

Pages:288

Paperback ISBN:9798350968125

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.

Praise for Uplift
“Enchanting and enlightening. . . . A poignant reminder of the environmental challenges of today. . . . Overall, a highly recommended read for its captivating narrative and important central message.” 
—A Readers’ Favorite 5-star book 

“A riveting must-read for everyone who wants to know what birds are thinking and feeling from their point of view. . . . A compelling and moving story with an important message.” 
—Marc Bekoff, Ph.D., University of Colorado-Boulder and award-winning author of The Emotional Lives of Animals 

“A beautiful portrait of nature’s cycles. . . . From the beginning of this thoughtful novel, readers will grasp the beautiful symbiosis between Columbina’s family and nature, and the vital interconnectedness of their environment.” 
—A BookLife “All A’s” review

"Reading like part ancient myth and part experimental, fiction, (Uplift) is a great read for a cold winter's night, transporting you deep into the ROcky Mountains with some of its most fascinating inhabitants."
—The Nature Conservancy, Cool Green Science holiday books 2024
 
CURRENTLY RATED 5-STARS by Amazon readers! Read more at: https://www.amazon.com/Uplift-Jessica-Mann

**The author will be donating her profits from the sale of Uplift to local nonprofit organizations dedicated to protecting birds and nature.**

Read more

Description

Born in a spruce tree to a proud clan of Clark's Nutcrackers, Columbina and her brothers spend long winter nights in the nest, listening to the elders recite the old tales, while in summer they collect the rich seeds of the ancient Whitebark pines that they depend on for survival.

But Columbina, with her sharp intellect and deep curiosity, begins to question the old ways and traditions of the clan. She befriends others—birds and animals not of her own kind—and learns of the Tall Ones, fearsome creatures of the southland who bring death and destruction. And while her family remains in denial, Columbina realizes the growing peril.

How much is Columbina willing to risk for others? And can she lead them against the danger threatening their common home?

A rich, mythical story told through nonhuman eyes about the bonds of family and the joys of friendship. It may just change the way you see birds forever.

Read more

About the author

Jessica Mann is a writer and naturalist living in Teton Valley, Idaho. Uplift is her third novel.

Read more

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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