The Amazon Influence

Elizabeth St Jacques is the author of Echoes All Strung Out and
Survivors: The Great Depression, 1929-1939.

Fourteen-year-old Nick Price of Vancouver Island has a big problem. His
mother is an environmentalist who is actively demonstrating against the
logging going on in their area, while Allison, the girl of his dreams,
is the daughter of the logging company’s boss. To further complicate
matters, someone is threatening Nick’s mother and doing serious damage
to the logging company. While Nick and Allison are torn between
loyalties to their parents, the power of friendship and a longing for
justice bring them together as they attempt to discover who is behind
these terrible deeds. Adding interest is an Amazon medicine stick with
great powers that assists them in this challenging quest.

Marion Woodson weaves a tight web that begins with these opening
sentences: “Sometimes Nick was proud of his mother. Sometimes he
couldn’t stand her.” With this honesty, you get the feeling Woodson
can be trusted to tell a well-balanced story. She can and does.

Here are believable characters and dialogue, an excellent plot and
subplots, suspense and action, breaks of humor, and smooth transitions.
And interesting information is subtly woven through the story—colorful
facts about Vancouver Island’s flora, wildlife, history, and sites, as
well as some information about the Amazon.

In this well-told story, readers will see friendships unfold through
understanding and generosity of spirit—even among those with opposing
views. Among other messages shared here: quick judgments aren’t always
correct, and violence is not the way to solve problems. A super read.
Highly recommended.