Dale Bick Carlson

About a year ago I sat down over coffee with a friend and talked about what else, books. He related that a book stood out to him that he read as a youngster. That book being The Plant People by Dale Carlson. Always trusting Todd's instincts on books, I immediately went looking for a copy. I placed on my wishlist at Paperbackswap and about a year later this shows up in my mailbox.

I actually wasn't sure what to expect, as my friend gave only a brief synopsis, but was looking forward to it nontheless. This book is written for the young teen in mind and I spent all of about 20 minutes finishing it. Originally published in 1977, this book came across (too my adult mind) as more of a propaganda piece for the environmental movement than a book meant to entertain. Don't get me wrong, I was entertained for those 20 minutes and I tend to overlook most preachy or propagandizing in books, and this was no different.

Get past the "humans are destroying the earth and humanity is now being punished, save for the few true enviromental lovers" message and you have a brief (very brief) diversion and I have no doubt that a young teen or pre-teen would enjoy this one even more.… (mer)

I very seriously believe that this is one of the worst books ever written. There are plot *elements* there - there's an orphan, a mad scientist, vampires, one or possibly two mysterious plagues, and escaping with The Formula from an evil lair - but there's no real overarching *plot*. I think that Jenny saves the United States from evil bioterrorists at the end, but I can't be sure. I mean - it's just mindblowingly bad. I can't even imagine how it got published.

An excerpt:

"Jenny Dean noticed when the stars came out. She noticed when the morning-glories folded in. She noticed what her father ate at the dinner table and when her mother ate nothing at all. And when a strange, strangled moan came from her mother's waiting room, Jenny was the first to notice and react. Besides, she had heard that sound before.

"What was that?" said Jenny's father. Dr. Howard Dean was Winter Falls' veterinarian. He was more used to animal sounds than to human sounds.

"That must be my new patient," said Jenny's mother. "She's been very upset lately. Her mother's been so worried." Dr. Gwen Dean was Winter Falls' most respected psychologist. Human behavior was her specialty.

"That, to be exact, is my friend, Karen Porter," said Jenny, "and that sound she just made was exactly like the ones Claire Richmond, Alex Harte, Jason Kent, and four other kids in my class have been making."

Jenny put her fork down next to her mother's marvelous meatloaf and waited for questions. Jenny often helped her mom with details in difficult cases. Dr. Gwen Dean was a brilliant psychologist, but her daughter had a lot of natural ability."… (mer)