Rolf Kyburz – författare

A modern Fairy taleThe story deals with a family of two adults and two young children visiting a farmer in the Australian bush where thousands of cycads, namely Macrozamia moorei grow among the Eucalypts. Noorida, a bright 9 year-old girl discovers by chance that one of the very large cycad plants seems to be communicating somehow to her within her mind. Eventually, she is convinced that it is really the plant talking to her and not just her imagination. This 800-year-old plant is scheduled to be cut down to make room for a new road. Noorida however wants to save this very unusual plant from destruction and she has to come up with a plan to convince the sceptical adults that this cycad is very special. She has to work out how to inform the adults of these facts and eventually manages to do so by asking the plant some clever and very specific questions. Eventually, the adults realise the special circumstances and they all decide to save the plant by removing it and shipping it to a cycad collectors park in France. This involves many steps needing Nooridas communication skills, a lot of paperwork and patience. The story has many words incorporated not necessarily understood by young children. These words are in italics and an explanation can be found in a Glossary at the back of the book.The book is based mostly on facts, (except the talking plant) dealing with nature, conservation and human interaction. The 17 short chapters would make it particularly suitable to be read to children as a bedtime story.