Lee Welles and Tracie Vaughn Zimmer are the amazing authors of Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth and Reaching for Sun. Both books will entertain and educate you on the state of the environment and motivate you to take action. Check out their interview and see what steps you can take to make a difference and protect the environment.

Q:   What led you to become environmentally conscious? Do you have any environmentalist role models?
A:    Lee Welles: I was blessed to spend the first 18 years of my life on a family farm. I was in my late twenties when it occurred to me that my lifestyle choices were directly affecting the wildlife I loved and I began to make some changes. My first eco-hero was, and still is, my mother. She walks more than drives. She eats from the garden and she borrows instead of buys (and in return shares a great deal).She is a recycling maven and through it all, her love for the planet shines.

Q:   Why did you choose a young girl for the main character? Is she anything like you were as a young girl?
A:    LW: I chose a young girl because I think when you are 9,10, or 11 years old you have such a strong sense of who you really are. Like Elizabeth, the main character in Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth, I have a strong sense of place and a desire to protect it. Her personality, however, is a little more like my sister's. I think it was easier to describe someone I had looked at and listened to, than to describe my own personality. Although, like Elizabeth, I was, and still am, a tree-climber and I, too, had favorite places to perch and read!

Q:   Do you have any big plans for Earth Day this year?
A:    LW: Yes! Organic Valley Family of Farms (organic products are pesticide and fertilizer free) is hosting me at the Green Festival in Chicago! We are celebrating the release of the paperback edition of Gaia Girls: Enter the Earth. I will participate in an "Earth Dinner" and be signing books at the Green Festival all weekend. Organic Valley is a big fan of the book because it describes so many of their farming families.

TVZ: I'd love to go camping and hiking with my family to celebrate!

Q:   What little changes in everyday life can you recommend to girls who want to make a positive change for the environment?
A:    LW: First and foremost, recognize your own "Gaia (Earth) Power." Every time you spend a dollar, you are saying, "yes" to something. The three R's (reduce, reuse, recycle) can be applied almost everywhere in your day-to-day life. Turn off lights, walk or share rides, use old maps or Sunday comics as wrapping paper, carry your own reusable [lunch or groceries] bag and cup. It is kind of fun to see how a little change can make a big difference. I know those kinds of changes seem small, but know that you are the trendsetter! Imagine what it will be like when 5 million, then 10 million, then 1 BILLION people are doing what you do!

TVZ: Discover and explore the natural habitats around you. Learn the scientific and common names of plants, trees, birds, and other animals that are native [to your area]. If you know them, you'll want to help care for them.

Q:   The Girls Inc. mission is to inspire girls to be strong, smart, and bold. How do you think your main character embodies that message?
A:    LW: My main character is very smart about her surroundings. She takes the time to examine the present moment and place and that is the key to her power. Like so many of us, Elizabeth has to push through her own fear and her own failures to move forward. In addition, Elizabeth has to turn away a long-standing friendship to fully focus on the crisis facing her family and farm.

TZV: Although Josie is smart and strong, most people don't recognize it because all they see is her cerebral palsy (a brain disorder that affects the body's movement and motion control). Learning to take a chance on others and to boldly admit what she needs are lessons that she learns as she discovers her world. I hope girls see themselves in Josie and are inspired by her quest to be her own person.

Q:   Your book sends a message about what it really means to feel connected to one's roots—the homes and land that have been in families for generations. What do you hope your readers will take from this message?
A:    LW: No matter where you live or how long you have been there, you have an opportunity to connect to the land around you. Even in the heart of a big city, nature is everywhere if you are willing to look. I believe you have to "fall in love" with the land that supports you before you can care deeply about all the places you have never been like the rainforest or the deep oceans. You will also notice that the connection comes through the telling of family stories. If you don't know how your parents met, ask! If you have never heard about your mom's first date, ask! The fabric of your life is much richer when you can see the threads that it is made of.

TZV: Our roots help create us, but they don't have to define who we become.

Q:   Do you spend a lot of time outdoors? What kinds of activities do you like?
A:    LW: I don't spend as much time outdoors as I would like. That is the only downside of being a writer...a lot of computer time. I am a runner, hiker, and gardener. I do like going on bigger adventures, but I don't wait for a big camping trip before enjoying the outdoors. Sometimes I just step out the front door, close my eyes and listen.

TZV: I don't spend as much time as I'd like outside. I daydream that if I had a laptop I would go write in the woods behind my house! I love to camp with my family, hike in the nearby mountains, explore the remote beaches of the outer banks, and just watch the world unfold each season.

What's Next?

• Play our game to find out which animals are endangered.
• Find out what else is in the Reading Room
• Are you a good friend to the environment? Share your own tips on the Girls Inc. message boards!