I had heard it was great and I didn’t want to read anything that would influence (or discourage) me.

(Or it may have been just before I began, but after I had decided to turn the stories I had been telling my kids for years into a novel.)

My friend, Eric Peters, gave me a copy when I was in the process of writing The Green Ember. I had heard of Watership Down for years, but never read it.

But I love the story, the characters, and I’m grateful for the tremendous response it’s received from readers. It’s my first book, and I hope I will improve as a writer. I am in no way embarrassed about having written The Green Ember. If you finish the book and find yourself wanting more, just look for the sequel, Ember Falls, which follows Heather and Picket into the next part of their tale.I get asked this fairly often, so I want to go on record with my response. Readers will find wonderful, inspiring quotes and some hilarious ones that may well make it into their own worldviews, such as “Too little salt is an insult and too much salt is an assault.” If you like Brian Jacques’s Redwall series, you will surely like this.įor children not yet ready to read Redwall, this book may be a gentle introduction to animals living out medieval times, what with its narrators being children themselves. The settings of serene meadows, terrifying woods, and strange and beautiful burrows are depicted in a way that make you feel part of the wonder the rabbit narrators are experiencing. What unfolds will encourage self-belief for many a young reader. There are fallen kings, hope for new princes, rabbits bearing swords, terrifying wolves, found family, and lost family. These young rabbits were raised on stories of adventure, and they suddenly find themselves in the middle of one. Heather and Picket are rabbit siblings that are forced to leave their comfortable lives to embark on a harrowing journey. It takes place in a world of animals on the brink of war. It is beautifully written, and adults looking for chapter books to read aloud with their children will surely enjoy experiencing this book as well. Smith’s fantasy novel is a wonderful read for young children who enjoy tales of adventure and mysterious journeys.

The green ember book series