In the Sierra Nevada mountains in 1894, Francie honors her late sister's memory while she fights to keep an ancient giant sequoia tree from being cut down by a powerful lumber company. Melodramatically appealing, this energetic novel features an irrepressible heroine, a crusading journalist, a dastardly villain, and the heart-pounding run promised by its title. From HORN BOOK Spring 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

"This couldn't be real. They must be in some fantasy story." Francie Cavanaugh feels like an elf in a fairy tale next to the giant sequoia tree she has discovered, the Emperor of Trees, right there in front of her. It's 1894. Francie's sister Carrie died in a landslide six years before, but Carrie's note left in a sequoia stump and her newly uncovered diary have led Francie on a mission to save this impossibly ancient tree from loggers. The economy of the town, the jobs of the loggers, and even Mr. Cavanaugh's hotel business depend on logging, and that one tree by itself could provide wood enough for many houses. But Carrie's diary leads Francie to an old will giving Carrie rights to the giant tree and the land around it. With the will in hand, Francie must ride the log flume to St. Joseph, many miles away--something only two men have tried before; one died, and one was injured. Pfitsch's (Keeper of the Light, 1997, etc.) story is based on the real stands of Sierra redwood near Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks in California, and a real giant called the Boole Tree, 35 feet in diameter. Though the writing is wordy and awkward in spots, the story itself is exciting. By the end, Francie has proven herself and brought her family together in the wake of her sister's death. A satisfying adventure with an environmental message. (author's note, glossary, bibliography) (Fiction. 10-14)

Gr. 5^-8. The year is 1894; the place is California. Naturalists and journalists are writing against the felling of giant sequoia trees. Francie agrees with their position, but times are hard, and her parents believe that the town will die if the lumber company fails. While Francie works to count tree rings as a favor for a newspaper editor, she finds a mysterious message from her sister, Carrie, who has been dead for six years. It seems to indicate danger, and Francie is determined to investigate. Her clandestine search unearths connections between a hermit who died in a mysterious fire, a nasty lumber company official, and her sister; but to find what she needs to resolve the puzzle, she must gather her courage and ride the dangerous log flume down the long, watery shoot to St. Joseph. Pfitsch brings together a brave heroine, authentic background, and an intriguing view of a little-known part of U.S. history to make this a winner, especially for girls who like historical fiction. A glossary and notes are provided. --Jean Franklin

Gr 5-8-Between 1890 and 1903, whole forests of giant sequoia trees were felled for lumber in northern California. In this exciting adventure story, Francie, 15, begins to unravel a mystery when she finds a hidden note left by her sister, now deceased, in the hole of a tree and sets out to stop the logging of the biggest giant. Set in 1894, the novel is a fast read, ending with a daredevil ride on the loggers' flume. Francie is a brave, high-spirited teen who values commitment, history, the environment, and the legacy of her sister's memory. A subplot involves the family dealing with the loss of Carrie six years earlier. The uneasy decision between whether to save the tree in memory of Carrie or save the economy and the loggers' jobs is handled objectively. Pfitsch has researched her subject well and gives the California mountain landscape and its inhabitants a note of realism. However, the book is weakened by too simple a resolution, the downplaying of natural hazards in the wild, and many dangers either glossed over or omitted. The writing is sometimes repetitious, but it is easy, making the story an accessible and enjoyable read. Some moral-value issues, such as telling the truth and minding parents, are nicely handled. The attractive jacket depicting the dangerous ride on the flume should draw readers and help sell the book.-Susannah Price, Boise Public Library, ID (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.