SPEAKER_00 1:06

EcoMasters A Planet in Peril. Chapter 1. I open my eyes, a huge smile already stretching my cheeks tight. I've been waiting for this day, well, for days. Leaping out of bed, I open my blinds, loving the way their pink slats make my room look rosy, and peer out at the sky. Another hazy, hot, humid day. How many does this make in a row now? I've totally lost count. I stare up into the foggy sky, trying to remember what the sun looks like. Until I feel a huge weight, a peeve sized weight against my leg. Good morning boy, I say to the gigantic, blackish bluish bear of a dog at my feet. Are you excited for today? He cocks his head like I'm not making sense. We're going to Jasper's house, remember? And then to his community garden. Peev barks, which I take as a sign of his excitement. I know, right? We'll be planting flowers and hopefully getting lots of vegetables for the soup kitchen. Saying it out loud makes my insides feel warm. After seeing more and more people struggling lately, it sure feels good to do something. Anything to help. Almost like my thoughts make it happen. I hear the sound of blaring sirens, the whales bouncing wildly off the high-rise buildings in my neighborhood. It seems like I've been hearing more ambulances than usual lately. The sidewalks have been more like a hot stove for weeks, and seriously, I can't even count the number of times I've seen someone faint. The ambulance drivers don't even need the lucky ones, that is. Just knock it the heck off. I want to scream. Living in New York City these days is complicated enough. We sure don't need temperatures working against us too. Even though the extreme heat upsets me, I know that I personally am beyond lucky. I live in a nice building with a swimming pool and all the air conditioning I could handle. Sure, things aren't always so great inside our apartment, but you can't have everything. And today I remind myself I don't have to deal with any of it. Pushing past PAV's giant body, I grab a quick shower, find some good gardening clothes, gather my wet hair into a ponytail, and brush my teeth. Then, practicing my best smile, I head for my dad's study. It's early, way before most people would be up and working on a Saturday, but if I know my dad, he's already been at his desk for hours. And today, that doesn't bother me at all. Today, I get to escape these walls and do something important. Hey Dad, I say to his back, eyes transfixed on the flowing water captured within the glass wall behind him. If I waited for him to turn and look at me, I'd be waiting forever. Hi, Coral, he murmurs. You're up early? I nod, though he can't see me. A strange symbol on his computer screen catches my eye. It looks like a cross between a volcano and a waterfall, and I step a little closer before I catch myself. He doesn't like me looking at his business things. Yep, I'm just gonna grab some breakfast and then head out. He stops typing and looks my way, every bristle of his scrub brush haircut standing at attention. Head out where? My heart flutters, but then I remember he forgets things a lot. At least things having to do with me. Jasper's house, remember? I asked you last week and you said that it was okay. He scowls. I don't remember saying that. My sigh feels like it starts in my toes. What a surprise. Can you just say okay now and then? We need to get to his community garden before it gets too hot outside. I'll be home way before dinner. His dark eyes narrow and he glances back at his computer. A little shiver runs through me as he closes the document and the symbol disappears. I try to hold the picture in my mind, clinging to the way it makes me hopeful and curious, but it fades away when his annoyed expression swings toward me again. Where is this garden? In Jasper's neighborhood, East Harlem. My dad nods. That's right. He's the scholarship kid. I shrug. Yeah, he's really smart. So can I go? He takes a deep breath but says nothing. The tick of his favorite clock, a giant metal gear full of smaller overlapping gears, echoes inside my body. Finally, he pushes away from his giant wooden desk and stands to extend his arms out in front of him, fingers pointing toward me, as straight as the maroon pinstripes in his shirt. You know I just want to keep you safe, right? I just don't know what to say. Since when is my life unsafe? I guess so. And you know your friend lives in a questionable neighborhood, don't you? I sigh and cross my arms. His house is very nice, Dad, and you've met his parents, they're nice too. He shakes his head, short bursts of movement that make it seem like I am being the unreasonable one. This isn't about his parents or his house, Coral. Things are changing in this city and in the world for that matter. Life is getting more dangerous by the day. We have to be careful. A strange tingle climbs up my back, almost like my whole body wants me to be worried, but I just refuse to go there. I grew up in this city, Dad. I know how to be careful. You can't prepare for what you've never encountered, Quarrel. I'll let you go to Jasper's, but I'm calling one of my security guards to go with you. My mouth goes goldfish on me. Falling into a big oh, are you serious? Completely. But that'll make me look like such a freak. I might as well write Rich Kid on my forehead and hope the people at the garden don't laugh me off the sidewalk. Something changes in his face, creases I never noticed before, and all I can do is stare. He blinks a few times and then smiles, but only with his mouth. I know this isn't what you want, but I'm trying not to scare you. I just have to keep you out of harm's way. Man, what a crock. Out of harm's way? I'm not asking to go skydiving or anything. What's dangerous about community gardening? I can't explain everything to you right now, but you're going to have to trust me. I shake my head, not even trying to hide how annoyed that I am. It shouldn't be hard to trust my own dad, right? And it didn't used to be. But lately I'm feeling like I'm living in some sort of science experiment. Like I'm a lab rat instead of a kid. I have a right to know what's going on, especially if it means I need a bodyguard and I have to give up my friends. My dad's hands fly high in the air. Oh for crying out loud, Coral. Stop being so dramatic. No one said you can't have friends. He points toward the hallway. Go to your room. Think about what really matters, and let me know when you figure it out. My whole body warms full of white hot pressure I've never felt before. This is so stupid, I tell him. I turn and walk out the door, suddenly super relieved to get out of this room and away from its secrets. You'll thank me someday. I don't see that happening, I say. And I put an extra stomp in my step. This is definitely not over. If he won't tell me what's going on, I will get the answers for myself.

SPEAKER_01 11:59

Hi everyone, my name is Lucy, and I've been reading this book alongside Donna. And some questions that I just had after recapping the first chapter was why Coral's father had abruptly changed his mind so quickly, and what issues that he's um kind of hiding from her is what I was kind of wondering and excited to get into through the rest of the book. Um, I also just thought it was so interesting how she was so young, but also so curious about the world and how she had these ideas of climate change and um environmental issues that she was thinking of, um, even though she is so young. And I just knew that when I was a kid, I wasn't really thinking of those kinds of issues. So um just something that I thought about. But yeah, um, if you have any more questions or comments, please go over to the Ecomasters EcoMasters books website and Instagram. There's um places where you can leave those. So yes, we would love to hear from you.