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Nature Is Imploring Us
Ursamer: A Treasury of Feel-Good Stories Book 2 follows a young Inuit girl who tries to find someone that will understand her message about global warming. What was the inspiration for your stories?
Ursamer – the name came into my head. Sound is very important to me as a musician, but also as a writer. Translated, Ursa and Mer mean Bear and Sea. So, I thought I would write about polar bears and what is happening to them. I also wanted to write about climate change from a different slant. Everyone talks about the physical changes to the ice caps, but not so much how this is affecting those who live there.
Ursamer encounters very different people each time she arrives in a different place, how did you decide on where she would appear?
I tried to imagine what it would be like from her perspective and the difficulties she would have in conversing with the people she met. They would be so culturally removed from her. I wanted to show how different people are affected in different ways, but that we’re all in the world together and things are not looking rosy. Someone old and homeless in New York City (Ursamer can’t see why an elder is not treated with respect), famine-stricken refugees in Africa (they are desperate to the point of lost humanity), and me-dominated rich shoppers in a giant mall – the on-demand types. (It’s all about them, and they are totally clueless about what’s going on in the real world, which is, in essence, their world too.)
What were some themes that were important for you to explore in this book?
That nature is imploring us to turn ourselves around. The main thing for me is that humanity STILL doesn’t get it. The global pandemic is something that has never happened before. (Yes, others have, but they go away, at least for a while. I have a PhD in disease ecology, so I know what I’m talking about here). This virus is different – it’s not going away.
But, we have not learned from it. This is nature shouting a HUGE wake-up call. We’re a small step ahead with vaccines, but then we just keep going with our self-centred agenda – over-populating, over-consuming, polluting, degrading, destroying…
The ”On Demand” species. Uggh.
Listening is also a central theme of this story. The vast majority of people do not listen. Poor communication is a huge problem.
What is the next book that you are working on and when will it be available?
Well, a few. A comedy/social justice novel – it should be out by the end of the year.
Author Links: GoodReads | Twitter | Facebook | Website
Where has she come from? What is her story? She has something very important to say, but no one is listening!
A sweet, poignant tale about climate change, Ursamer is ideal for children ages 8 and older.
Ursamer
There is something wrong with the world, and there has been for many years. A change is taking place, and, if left unchecked, it will forever alter the world as we know it. Something else strange is happening, and none of those who encounter this anomaly can explain it. A unique young girl and her stunning sled dog appear in random places, and, as suddenly as they show up, they are gone. They have, but one goal in mind and only have a short time in which to accomplish it.
Karina McRoberts, author of Ursamer: A Treasury of Feel-Good Stories Book 2, has delivered a socially-conscious book designed to build a more solid understanding of global warming and its most certain impact on the environment. But, more importantly, McRoberts’s tale illustrates how challenging it is for those struggling to raise awareness to successfully make their point to society.
This beautifully written short story is constructed so that young readers will easily be able to follow the story and the message the author is trying to convey. Each short chapter takes readers to a different location with Ursamer and her dog Nuga. The frustration she feels is apparent, and as her block of ice melts, her hope diminishes as well. Topics of language barriers, misunderstandings, and ignorance are presented alongside the message of climate change. However, this educational story is not all sad. There are moments of joy and understanding, and showing kindness and compassion still exists.
Ursamer: A Treasury of Feel-Good Stories Book 2 is a thought-provoking short story for children between ages eight and twelve, ideal for older elementary and middle-grade students. While the book’s topic is one that younger readers can and should begin to explore, it would make for excellent guided reading or as a teacher-led book due to the vocabulary and writing style. This is also the perfect story to introduce the topic of climate change to younger students.
Pages: 33 | ASIN : B09J1VN6N9
LITERARY TITAN 