Below the Root

Below the Root

by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
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The people of Green-sky, the Kindar, have a peaceful society that seems pretty much perfect. Even though they don’t have a lot of technology, the people there have everything they need. They live in the tops of giant trees and, because the gravity of Green-sky is weak, they can glide from tree to tree with the help of special clothing. Some of the people of Green-sky have psychic gifts – they can read other people’s emotions, teleport, move objects with their minds, or cause plants to grow.

There is only one problem in all of Green-sky: the Pash-shan are dangerous creatures that live underground. They are kept there, away from the rest of Green-sky, by a series of magical roots. As a precaution, though, none of the Kindar are allowed to go near the ground.

Raamo, a thirteen-year-old boy, is invited to join the Ol-zhaan, the priesthood that runs Green-sky and protects everyone from the Pash-shan. Raamo doesn’t understand why he has been chosen, but he eventually learns that he was picked because of his strong psychic powers. The root network that keeps the Pash-shan trapped underground has been weakening, and the priests hope Raamo will be able to fix it.

While he is training, Raamo meets two other new priest named Neric and Genaa. Neric suspects that the Ol-zhann are not entirely honest with the people of Green-sky. One day Raamo and Neric visit the surface, where they find a girl named Teera. Eventually, Raamo, Neric, and Genaa learn the Pash-shan are not what everyone believes, and their discovery changes the world of Green-sky forever.

Below the Root is the first book in a trilogy.There is also an old computer game that is a sequel to the trilogy. Zilpha Keatley Snyder actually helped write it, so if you are into vintage computer games, you might want to check out the Below the Root game from 1984.

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Where to Find It

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