Whispering Alaska

by Brendan Jones

In this eco-focused middle-grade novel, readers follow the story of twin sisters who move with their father to a small town in Alaska for a new start after the devastating loss of their mother.

It's been four months since their mother died. The twins and their father have moved from Pennsylvania to a small town in Alaska to be near extended family. Nicky and Josie find the wilderness mysterious and beautiful, and a much-needed refuge. The girls drifted apart somewhat during their transition, each dealing with grief in a different way. Now, as they settle into a new normal, they become involved in a community debate that threatens the very land they are growing to love. For the local adults, livelihoods are at stake, and tensions are high. But it's the young people who take the lead, especially newcomers Josie and Nicky, who find a way to speak up for what they believe, reconnecting with each other and with their father in the process--and, they hope, doing their mother proud. Will their heartfelt plea keep the peace and save the trees that have existed for hundreds of years?

Genres: Middle Grade, Juvenile, Grief, Ecology

288 pages, Library Binding

First published October 26, 2021

Reviews

[theliterateleprechaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

I met the author on a Princess cruise last summer and attended his lecture as part of the North To Alaska program. They bring native Alaskan authors on board to share their books and writing process as well as educate passengers on life in Alaska. Brendan was friendly and approachable and his slideshow featured his family life in Sitka. I was ecstatic when he agreed to sign my copy of this book. 


A couple of months ago, my twelve-year-old niece asked me if adults had written out Covid-19 from history. She had noticed that the books she read didn’t address what was a BIG part of her experience for a few years. I’m happy to have this book to share with her! 


Jones explores the dividing nature of the Covid-19 pandemic. He shows how it divided the Hall family in Pennsylvania and how it divided the town of Jackson Cove in remote Alaska. 


If being reminded about the pandemic is not your thing, hang on! It’s also an ecofiction book. 


The town is struggling economically with a lack of tourism and is forced to consider some revenue-generating options that have the environmentalists among them aghast. 


It was interesting to read about 12-year-old twins and the different reactions they had to grief, connecting with relatives and nature, and dealing with a polarizing decision in their new town. I could see how they struggled to appreciate each other and be accepting of differing opinions.   


Ok, I’m hoping up on my soap box for a minute: 

I also commend the author on highlighting open-mindedness and crafting characters who were encouraged to be a catalyst for change. This is what I want our young people to read. Navigating life and grief (both within a family and in the environment) brings complex emotions and Jones harnesses them alongside the differing views of the twins and the townspeople to show us that a productive society doesn’t leave anyone out of the conversation. By empowering Josie and Nicky and giving the adults a respectful attitude towards their individual and self-expressing response, Brendan shows how young people grow confidence, identity, and learn to respect and show empathy to others. If only we could take Jackson Cove’s attitude and spread it around! 


In finding a purpose, the twins begin grieving their mom and have their eyes opened to embracing diversity. 


I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that this book has won the Green Earth Book Award for its environmentally driven plot. 


Don’t forget to listen to the whispers! 

[Linda Ludwig Bera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stumbled across this book and thought of my dad. He loves Alaska and the outdoors and was raised in Pennsylvania. His mom also died when he was a boy. Family and plot line similarities stop there, but it grabbed me and I gave it to him as a gift. My mom read it first and then she passed it to me. I really enjoyed it and wanted to ask my dad what he thought about it. Apparently he hasn’t been able to get started. Maybe it was a little too close to home for comfort? Anyway, the thing is that the young people in this book learn that they can make a difference in the world with their actions and words, and that what is good or bad, right or wrong is not always easy to discern. Communities and economies are complex and so are the people that make them up. The world and the people around us are not perfect and don’t necessarily agree or see things our way. But we can still respect differences of opinion and belief, without being petty or arrogant. There’s a great lesson here for all ages and anyone alive today who is thinking they or their elected representatives have all of the answers.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is only the second or third book I have read so far, that is set during the pandemic. And this one had the pandemic as part of the plot, since Nicky and Josie’s mother, who was a doctor, dies from it.

The family moves in with their father’s sister who is living on an island in Alaska. The island has three ways to make money. Tourism, Timber and Fishing. Because the tourism has dried up, the mill decides that it will have to clearcut the old growth trees on the island, to make up for the shortfall.

Josie and Nicky are against it, for slightly different reasons. Josie, just because it is bad to clearcut in general. And Nicky because she has talked to the trees, and knows that they have feelings and thoughts, and doesn’t want them to all die.

Although clues were dropped as to what the solution to the situation is, it still slightly surprised me with the ending.

Jones lives in Alaska, and said he played a little fast and loose with the geography of the town depicted int he book. But, it felt real to me, and I could see the ancient forest, and the path that Nicky took to get there.


Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whispering Alaska caught my eye because the main character's mother died of Covid-19. I thought that would be a great selling point for my 5th graders. The characters deal with social distancing and wearing masks. But thise were minor points. Really this is a story of children trying to convince the owner of a mill not to cut down an old forest. I liked the new information on how trees communicate. But I wasn't a fan of the magical realism. And I just can't buy that ending. I borrowed this from the library and won't be adding it to my classroom

[Janet Rosfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend recommended this book to me and I'm so glad. Sometimes I forget how good YA books and authors can be! Dan moves his twin daughters Josie & Nicky from Pennsylvania to Alaska, after the death of their wife & mother during the pandemic. She was an E.R. doctor and Dan wants to be near his sister, brother=in-law and nephew. Dan isn't coping well, Josie is full of rage and Nicky is just trying to keep her family together. As soon as they arrive in Alaska, they are plunged into an environmental crisis on their island between a logging company and people who want to save the forests from clear cutting. I learned a lot about the care of old growth forests and the logging industry . The author lives in Alaska and you can feel his love for his state on every page.

[Amber Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in breathtaking, small town, Southeast Alaska. Whispering Alaska’s themes of resilience, determination, sisterhood, family, and environmental conservation left me refreshed anew with the creative possibilities the human spirit can develop.

[Laura Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicky is moving from Pennsylvania to Alaska with her father and twin sister Josie during the COVID-19 pandemic. Both Nicky and Josie are upset about the move, not least because their mother, an ER doctor, recently died of COVID. Alaska is intended to be a fresh start. The family is moving to a small island community where Nicky and Josie’s aunt, uncle, and cousin live. Even before they arrive, though, they become embroiled in a local conflict about whether to cut down the old growth forest on the island. Josie and Nicky’s Uncle Cliff, who is Tlingit, works for the local mill and is convinced cutting the trees is the only way to save local jobs, save their way of life, and keep their part of Alaska from being taken over by out-of-staters. Josie becomes involved in the opposition, preparing a statement about the importance of leaving nature alone. Nicky instead spends time with her cousin Clete who shows her the trees and teaches her about the ways that the trees communicate with each other and provide an important habitat for the salmon, bears, and other wildlife. Nicky has an immediate connection to the trees and begins to think creatively about ways the trees can be protected while keeping the local economy intact. Can the girls help find a solution to the problem that will satisfy all parties involved?
There was a moment in the final third of this book where I suddenly couldn’t stop turning the pages to see what would happen. The final third had perfect pacing. We need more middle grade books that depict the complexity inherent in the environmental movement and this is a great addition.

Weaknesses: Some of the conversations around trees’ ability to communicate with each other became a little didactic. The biggest weakness, however, was that the beginning was very slow and could have been edited significantly. I had a very hard time forcing myself to read the first 40 pages of the book. Once the family arrived in Alaska, the book became much more interesting, but pacing remained uneven. I hope readers will stick around for the end because it was good.

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the whole world, and this book addresses it head-on. The mother of middle-grade twins, Nicky and Josie, dies from the virus, so the father moves them to live with relatives in Alaska. The family falls into the middle of a contentious debate that will impact the future of the tiny, remote lumber and fishing village. The town economy has been devastated by the virus, even though no one has been infected, so the debate of commercial development versus preserving nature will end in a critical vote for the town’s survival.
Most of the story sounds like realistic fiction, but a speculative fiction angle is infused into it. Nicky’s cousin Clete informs her that the trees predicted she would arrive and save them. Talking trees? Nicky slowly accepts the fact that she’s able to make a connection with them and sense their thoughts. It’s not like they have a conversation, but she becomes aware of ideas that eventually help her resolve the problem. The author comes up with a very unexpected, creative resolution that makes almost everyone happy.
Despite being mirror twins, a conflict between Nicky and Josie has developed since their mother died. Josie has become bitter and angry, and her focus is on saving the Alaskan wilderness from deforestation. She’s a zealous advocate for nature and doesn’t have much of a filter for her thoughts. She lets her feelings control her voice and manages to offend almost everyone she meets. Some of her most hurtful comments are directed at her father. Nicky misses the twin who was also her best friend, and her attempts to reconnect with Josie don’t go well. However, Nicky must eventually embrace some of her twin’s personality in order to get things done.
What didn’t work as well:
After a while, Josie’s negativity gets tiresome. Nothing makes her happy, and she never stops talking long enough to consider anyone else’s thoughts or feelings. However, her character performs an important role in the plot, as her passion toward the problem evokes equally passionate feelings from other characters.
The Final Verdict:
Save the trees or save the town? The book presents the real-life, emotional conflict between nature and people trying to survive. Characters from both sides of the issue are represented, and the result is a gripping story that can be enjoyed by all, especially lovers of wildlife.

[Adaela McLaughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nicky loves her family and when they arrive in Jackson Cove, Alaska, she is greeted by her Aunt Mallory in a way that makes her feel she is part of a larger family and now a part of Alaska.

“Aunt Mall…opened her arms to Nicky, who allowed her aunt to gather her up as she came down the steps. At first she resisted the woman’s strength. Then the arms squeezed, and she smelled lavender and something else, bark, maybe, woody and strong. After a moment she let her cheek rest against the woman’s skin, then relaxed completely, gripping her aunt by her large shoulder blades, which felt like wings, and clutching her.” p. 54

Nicky, her twin, Josie, and their father quickly learn that the town of Jackson Cove is in a quandary about whether to cut down the nearby forest. Both Nicky and Josie want to save the forest. Nicky listens to everyone she can, including those who want to save the trees, those who want to log the trees, and the trees and their fungi friends. Her sister, Josie, is plucky, unafraid to puncture traditional loggers’ ways of making a living. Clete is Nicky and Josie’s cousin, part Tlingit. Clete understands why his father, a Tlingit, wants to stay in Jackson Cove by utilizing its resources, as his ancestors did. However, Clete has an affinity for the trees. He must make peace with these two conflicting viewpoints and decide who he is and what he cares most about.

Despite their mutual respect for the trees in the forest, the relationship between Nicky, Josie and their father frays and Nicky feels lost.

“As she sat there, the hurt shifted into something else- the realization that you could depend on nothing in this world. Not even yourself. Not your sister, or father, or mother, or that the trees outside your window would be there when you woke. In less than a week, Alaska had taught her as much.” p. 184-185.

Whispering Alaska has us feel Nicky’s love of family, loss of family and a determination to save what she loves.

[Suzanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHISPERING ALASKA offers an eco-conscious initiation into the world of Alaska. Despite being twins, sisters Nicky and Josie couldn't be more opposite -- a dynamic which many young siblings will be able to relate to. Furthermore, when their dad moves them to a small, rainy, forest-filled island in Alaska, they must enter this world as outsiders -- another dynamic many young readers will relate to. They find they have a great deal to learn about the community around them, and that preconceived notions don't always line up... the correlations between pro-logging/environmentalism, localism/globalism, and tensions between Indigenous Alaskans and the residents who represent multi-generation waves of settlers are often complex and anything but straightforward -- which is often the case in real life. Among the most important things BOTH twins learn is how deeply we are connected... not only as family or as a community or even purely as humans, but holistically as humans intertwined with nature, all sharing one very delicate but vital planet.

On a more visceral, less analytical level, the novel is an easy, page-turning read, with a touching twist that could easily spark a young reader's interest in Alaska or the environment, or ideally, both.

[Roberta · Rating 2 out of 5]

There were mystical elements in this book that I was hoping for but found lacking in "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben. That book was much more factual; whereas, this book is Y/A fiction. The effect that the trees and mushrooms had on Nicky put me very much in mind of my friend's father who swore he communicated with trees. I always believed him. It's funny to me that I had no trouble believing that Nicky could communicate with nature the way she did, but I had a big problem believing that this small town in Alaska would allow newcomers Nicky and Josie to barrel right into the middle of a controversy that would affect the future of the whole town. Not only that, they took the girls' suggestions to heart to the extent that the town vote was essentially overturned. I also found it hard to believe that the girls, their friend Veronica, and their cousin Clete were only pre-teens. Their actions and attitudes seemed much more teen-aged. I also didn't get the friction between Nicky and Josie, when they were actually on the same side all along.

[Coffeedog · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m so disappointed by this book. I read Brendan’s adult novel The Alaskan Laundry a couple years ago and LOVED it. Such a good, well written book. I’ve had this one on my list to get ever since I saw the release date months ago. I was a middle grade teacher for years, and an Alaska fanatic and thought this would also be right up my alley for all those reasons. It was not. The characters did not ring true AT ALL, I didn’t even like the girls or their dad, their cousin and his family were too one-dimensional, and the townspeople didn’t seem to fit together at all, just different pieces from different puzzles dumped into a town. Even then I was still following, until with no warning it went from a realistic fiction to science fiction. The trees talked, felt emotions, the mushrooms conveyed their energy… it lost me. This is not a book I liked at all, and not a book that would have appealed to my middle schoolers AT ALL.

[Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written tale about dealing with loss and saving the environment. When Nicky and Josie lose their mother to the Covid pandemic their father uproots the family from Pennsylvania to Alaska to live near his sister and her family. Once there they find out that the owners of the lumber mill want to cut down a stand of rainforest on the small island where they are now living. The girls are disheartened about this news and try to persuade people to vote against this decision. However, as in real life, there are two sides to the proposal. The people on the island need jobs, which the lumber mill would provide.
Also, there is a bit of fantasy thrown in as one of the girls can apparently hear the trees' thoughts when she touches them but, that aside, the book does a good job of focusing on the environmental crisis which can result in deforestation.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Extremely passive protagonist who comes to the climax of the story in an uncharacteristic way. The twin sister is completely loathsome throughout the entire book. Other characters are one-dimensional. My heart says it was too soon for a book set during the pandemic because there isn't enough perspective yet, and the fact that this book felt incomplete or underdeveloped tells me that everyone involved in its creation was in too much of a rush to get it to publication. It had so much potential based on the story premise. A couple more rounds of edits would have made a tremendous difference.

[Suzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really lovely look at the Alaska wilderness and how important the trees are to the environment. It also is a hard book because it visits a COVID world and how this family was affected by it. It's very fresh in many minds and it might be hard to read because it is still so fresh. I loved how we saw the twins grow and adapt in their own ways to this new home.
A beautiful look at Alaska!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good middle grade novel that brings up some interesting environmental issues. I loved the setting. Also found it interesting that this is set during the pandemic. References to covid and the protagonist's mom was an emergency room doctor who died of it.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the idea or this book: youth making change, how trees communicate, pandemic related issues, and family conflict. I didn’t like the magical realism that is part of this book. In my opinion, it was unnecessary.

[Allyssa Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it. The ending was good.
Warning: I got this as an ARC for class and I’m reading a 3rd draft with roughly 1 more edit before publishing.

[Brian Jarsma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice story weaving family and protecting the environment.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This middle-grade novel featuring young activists in Alaska is a 3.5 for me. Reading it might encourage other youngsters to become involved in environmental activism while raising awareness for other readers. After the death of their mother, an emergency room physician, due to COVID, twins Nicky and Josie Hall, relocate to Jackson Cove, Alaska, where their father has family. At times he has seemed completely lost as they travel across country in their van, and Josie is angry and rebellious, frustrated by having no say in their future. But she's connected with Veronica, a local girl who is determined to stop the planned clearcutting of an enormous old growth forest in the area. While it will provide much-needed jobs and money for the locals, it will also destroy a resource that cannot be replaced, which will have a domino effect on various animals and the land. Nicky becomes pulled into the conflict when her cousin Clete somehow senses that she has a strong connection to the trees in the woods and that she can communicate with them. The narrative describes both sides of the issue effectively, and while the conclusion is perhaps a bit far-fetched, given that the Halls had only just arrived in the area, and it's doubtful that many current residents would listen to them, the ending offers hope that there are other ways around destroying the planet's natural resources and still making a living. The author's love for the Alaskan wilderness is clear on almost every page. While readers might be cynical that trees can speak to Nicky, it is certainly true that trees in forests such as these communicate with each other through what is called the Wood Wide Web.