Today is Earth Day, and to help celebrate I’m offering up a list of books with an earth-friendly story for mother-daughter book clubs and other readers.

Operation Redwood by S. Terrell French—Julian is staying with his aunt and uncle in San Francisco when he discovers a plan to cut down a redwood forest. He teams up with Robin, Danny and Ariel to help save the trees. Ages 9 to 12.

Fern Verdant and the Silver Rose by Diana Leszczynski—Fern discovers she has a special gift that allows her to speak to plants. She must use her newfound ability to help her mother, who is being held by an evil man who wants to manipulate this gift to his own purposes. Ages 9 to 12.

The Hermit Thrush Sings by Susan Butler—Leora lives in the future after a meteor crashing to Earth changed life as we know it. People are forbidden to leave the village, told by their leaders that Birmbas will kill them. When Leora frees a baby Birmba trapped in her basement, she embarks on a journey to set it free and discovers the truth about her world. Ages 9 to 12.

Girlwood by Claire Dean—Searching for her runaway sister, Polly finds a magical place in the woods she calls Girlwood. When a local developer wants to raze the trees and put up housing in this spot, Polly feels she must save it to also save her sister. Ages 13 and up.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen—Roy is a new kid at a new middle school with new bullies when he sees a boy running outside his bus one day. His curiosity about the boy leads him to make new friends and help save an endangered species. Ages 10 to 13.

Tangerine by Edward Bloor—Paul is legally blind and overshadowed by his football-hero brother. When his family moves to Tangerine County, Florida, Paul rejects his upscale school for one with a poor reputation so he can play soccer. As he discovers more about the accident that blinded him, he turns his town and his family upside down. Ages 10 to 13.

The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett—Mary is an orphan left mostly to fend for herself in her uncle’s castle. When she discovers her crippled cousin, Colin, she finds a way to bring life back to a hidden garden and the family that has taken her in. Ages 9 to 13.

Torched by April Henry—Ellie finds herself infiltrating a radical Earth-rights group for the FBI so her parents can get leniency on a marijuana charge. As she gets closer to members of the group, she becomes conflicted over supporting the group and its goals or turning them in. Ages 14 and up.

Claire Dean is the author of Girlwood, a book that’s part reality, part fantasy and very interesting to read. (Read my review.)

Today I got the chance to read an essay by Dean, posted by Powell’s Books. In it she talks about some of the things that happened in her earlier life that had an influence on what she wrote about in Girlwood. You can read the essay at Powell’s by clicking here.

I also think Dean’s Web site, ClaireDean.net, is very interesting. On the books tab, Dean talks about visiting a mother-daughter book club, and she says she’s willing to connect with other clubs if they contact her at the email address listed. Her other pages are also very interesting, many with subjects related to themes you’ll find in Girlwood. They include pages on edible plants, wilderness survival and auras. I took the quiz to find out what color my aura is, and found out it’s blue. I like her ideas for coming of age ceremonies that parents can create for their children, and there’s a reading guide for Girlwood. It’s fascinating!

With one foot in the modern world and one foot in a world of fantasy, Girlwood takes us into the life of Polly Greene, who can see the colors that surround people, revealing their true selves. Polly’s older sister, Bree, disappears into the woods one night, and Polly is the only one who believes she has not run far, that she’s hiding nearby to heal her out-of-control life.

When Polly finds a magical clearing hidden among the trees, she’s certain that her sister is close. She determines to leave her food and clothing and healing plants in a magical spot she and her friends dub Girlwood to help Bree survive until she’s ready to return.

Girlwood explores many themes as Polly enlists the help of friends and family in her mission:

• What’s the value of nature compared to development?
• Why do girls sometimes subvert their own personalities when they start to date?
• How does divorce affect family dynamics?
• How can parents teach and protect their children while also allowing them to have independent thoughts?

The themes are woven into a story that is as enchanting as the magical clearing, Girlwood, itself. And by the end, you may even find yourself searching for your own Girlwood.

Recommended for mother-daughter book clubs with girls in aged 12 and up.