cover image Freaking Green

Freaking Green

Laura F. Sanchez. CreateSpace, $11.99 paper (294p) ISBN 978-1-4827-1400-5

Sanchez (Adobe Houses for Today) channels a passion for energy efficiency and other environmental concerns into this thoughtful look at a family forced to change the way it approaches the world. It all starts when 16-year-old aspiring actress Jasmine Hayward's eccentric great-aunt Olivia dies, leaving the bulk of her estate to Jasmine's family. However, to collect the first half of the $5 million, the Haywards are required to reduce their carbon footprint by 80% in a year. To do so, they rethink every aspect of their lives, from automobile use to eating habits, appliances, and recycling. As the Haywards' drastically altered lifestyle plays merry havoc with Jasmine's plans, she tries to find a way to pursue her acting dream without jeopardizing everything her family has worked for. While the narrative voice is engaging and there are some entertaining moments along the way, Sanchez hammers hard at the green aspects of the plot%E2%80%94the family keeps a running tally of their progress ("A single home-cooked vegetarian meal saves about 1.5 pounds of carbon")%E2%80%94delivering a continuous message that sometimes overpowers the rest of the story. Ages 12%E2%80%93up.