A VOICE FOR THE EVERGLADES

Learn about the Everglades and a passionate life.

A vivid double-page panorama rooted in friendly greens and blues introduces the birth of the Everglades from a stream in Florida. This saw grass–filled place is presented as one of the most biodiverse places in the world, with nine active ecosystems. Some text loosely follows a “House That Jack Built” structure to show relationships among ecosystem elements. Animal inhabitants fly and swim gently across the pages in bright colors and animation-level detail that catches the eye, with minimal shadow or textures. As the human threat to the area is swiftly introduced, so are Marjory and Ernest, two White friends who share an awe for the cypress, birds, panthers, and other dynamic flora and fauna. Together, they lobby for a bill to create Everglades National Park. As they show lawmakers the area from an airship, hope rises but is quickly crushed. In the end, establishing the park is made possible only by heightened public awareness via Marjory’s 1947 book. The frank presentation of the lengthy struggle to protect the ecosystems in the Everglades shares meaningful ideas about persistence and potential payoff for pursuing passions. Little is shared about Douglas in the main text aside from her tireless efforts on behalf of the Everglades and her mission-driven friendship with Ernest. A biographical note helps to flesh her life out a bit more.

A book for the Everglades and its human allies.