Penny's Reviews and Chat

MARVELOUS MIDDLE GRADE MONDAY

And All Between

By Zilpha Keatley Snyder

In the second book of  Zilpha Keatley Snyder’s “The Green Sky” trilogy, we learn more about the separation of the two civilizations, the well-fed Kindar live in the trees above and the hungry Erdling live virtually imprisioned below the root. The story continues but is told from the children’s perspective, Teera, the Erdling child found and rescued by Raamo and Neric, two novitiates in the spiritual ruling class of Ol-zhaan, and Pomma, Raamo’s young sister. There’s some overlap, for those who missed the first book.

Raamo’s family first believes that Teera is a lost child, a Kindar who fell and was taken by the Pash-shan. Later the truth is revealed that the Ol-zhaan is keeping secrets from the Kindar about why the two peoples are separated. Plans are made to unify the two peoples, slowly. First the hungry Erdlings need to be fed and gradually introduced into the ways of the Kindar. There are political factions who don’t want things to be changed, who don’t want the Ol-zhann secrets revealed.

Although the first part of the book is a “refresher,” Zipha Keatley Snyder keeps the story moving with action, surprises, fantasy, good vs. evil, and society breaking down. The story shows humanity at its worse in terms of baseness, lying, power grabbing, prejudice, and fighting change to hold onto a worse status quo. It also shows the possibilities for a world where evil is vanquished, people united, with hope for a better future.

Next week I’ll wrap up the trilogy and start on another of Ms. Snyder’s great middle grade books.

More information on Zilpha Keatley Snyder is at:  http://www.zksnyder.com/

Tags: 

Zilpha Keatley Snyder, The Green Sky Trilogy, Below the Root, Middle Grade, children's books, fantasy, good v. evil, utopian dystopia, Raamo, Genaa, Neric, Ol-zhaan.