STRANGE WONDERS OF ROOTS, THE Hardcover

Evan Griffith's "The Strange Wonders of Roots" is a poignant middle-grade novel that delves into themes of environmentalism, community, and belonging. The story follows Holly Foster, a girl accustomed to constantly moving and avoiding attachments, who finds herself spending a summer with her uncle in the small Vermont town of Arden. Despite her initial reluctance to put down roots, Holly is drawn into a local conflict when a plastic factory threatens to tear down a beloved grove of trees to build a visitor's center. As she fights to protect the trees, Holly begins to connect with the town and its quirky inhabitants, realizing that some places—and some relationships—are worth fighting for, and that true belonging can be found in unexpected ways.