Hello from Renn Lake

by Michele Weber Hurwitz (Author)

Reading Level: 4th − 5th Grade
The environmental activism of Hoot meets the summer friendship of Lemons in this heartfelt story about community, conservation, and standing up for the things you love.

Annalise Oliver's family has owned and run lakeside cabins in Renn Lake, Wisconsin, for generations. This summer, she gets to help out while her younger sister focuses on being an actress and her best friend is babysitting rambunctious twin boys. It's the perfect opportunity for Annalise to work and spend more time by her beloved lake.

When she was three years old, Annalise discovered that she could sense what Renn Lake was thinking and feeling. Now, at twelve, she still turns to Renn for comfort. But when a small patch of algae quickly becomes a harmful bloom, Annalise can no longer hear Renn, and the lake is closed. She and her friends must find a way to save the lake.

Writing from the perspectives of both the lake and Annalise, acclaimed author Michele Weber Hurwitz tells a sensitive and heartfelt story about community, activism, and fighting for the things you love.
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$16.99

Kirkus

An earnest and disarming tale of human and environmental caring.


Publishers Weekly

Left near the shore of Wisconsin's Renn Lake as an infant, Annalise was subsequently adopted by a local family who owns vacation cottages there. Though the 12-year-old knows she can communicate with the lake ("I don't actually hear Renn's words. I sense them"), what Annalise does not know is that Renn Lake, whose first-person narration alternates with Annalise's (and a few chapters by local river Tru), "propelled a surge" so that Annalise would be discovered and saved. When Zach, who is staying at one of the cabins on the lake, discovers a harmful, growing algae bloom that is making Renn very ill, Annalise realizes that she, with the help of her community and Tru, must work to save both the lake and the businesses that depend on Renn for tourism. Along the way, Annalise comes to terms with her origin story and gains a deeper understanding of her friends, her family, and herself. Intertwined with Renn's unique narration and a meaningful human-nature connection, Hurwitz's (Ethan Marcus Makes His Mark) book intersperses scientific facts about algae blooms and pollution with a story of activism and nature appreciation. Ages 8-12. Agent: Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Trident Media Group. (May)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8--Two very different voices tell the story of Renn Lake. The first is the lake itself, discussing its origins and hinting at some of the current stories. The second is a girl named Annalise. Annalise is 12 and was found as an infant abandoned in a bassinet by the lake. Her adoptive parents own and operate a small resort on the shores of Lake Renn. Annalise feels that she can communicate with the lake, and the lake feels it is connected to Annalise. There is a wide cast of characters, including Annalise's loving and supportive parents; a best friend who is learning about Jewish heritage and babysitting two rambunctious little boys for the summer; a new boy struggling with a break-up with his boyfriend; and a dramatic little sister. There's also a big problem; there is an algae bloom in the lake that is toxic to humans (so no swimming or boating) and potentially fatal to the lake's ecosystem. The story also addresses the financial hardship on the community at large caused by the lack of tourists. Annalise is the one most concerned about the lake because it has stopped communicating with her. Annalise and her friends devise a problem-solving strategy that is inexpensive but effective, surprising the local authorities who have suggested the algae problem will just have to resolve itself. This is a story that tries to tackle a lot of different issues. Kids who have experience with lakes and other water environments are more likely to enjoy this story, as are kids who have an interest in ecology and ecological problem-solving. VERDICT This is a pleasant story touching on a variety of social issues, including adoption, gender identity, religious identity, families, and water ecology. A solid addition to middle grade collections.--Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elementary, FL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

Winner of the Nature Generation Green Earth Book Award for Children's Fiction

"A pleasant story touching on a variety of social issues, including adoption, gender identity, religious identity, families, and water ecology. A solid addition to middle grade collections." —School Library Journal

"A meaningful and endearing story in this time when our planet needs us the most. A must-read." —Graham Salisbury, author of Banjo and the award-winning Under the Blood-Red Sun

"With great poignancy and a gentle hand, Hello from Renn Lake illuminates the deep connection between people and nature. Michele Weber Hurwitz's message is both tender and bold: Kids possess the initiative, courage and pluck to combat the impacts of global warming and take care of the natural world." —Ami Polonsky, author of Gracefully Grayson and Threads
Michele Weber Hurwitz
Michele Weber Hurwitz is the author of four other middle-grade novels, which have been on many state award lists and received several honors. She has lived in the Midwest for her entire life and has always loved spending time at Wisconsin's lakes. Sometimes she even hears one. Find Michele online at micheleweberhurwitz.com.
Classification
Fiction
ISBN-13
9781984896322
Lexile Measure
540
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Wendy Lamb Books
Publication date
May 26, 2020
Series
-
BISAC categories
JUV039060 - Juvenile Fiction | Social Themes | Friendship
JUV013070 - Juvenile Fiction | Family | Siblings
JUV029010 - Juvenile Fiction | Nature & the Natural World | Environment
Library of Congress categories
Water
Adoption
Abandoned children
Environmental protection
Lakes
Pollution

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