review from:
Will Potter
www.greenisthenewred.com

“Think Bridge to Terabithia, but with balaclavas.”

“I can't wait to see what they have to say about this one...”

"I just received a copy of The Secret World of Terijian, a childrens' book that some folks have put out to raise money for individuals labeled “eco-terrorists” and hit with terrorism enhancement penalties for property destruction in the name of the environment.

It's a cute little book about two kids, Connor and Moriko, who find bulldozers destroying the forest where they love to play and explore, and how they try to stop them. Think Bridge to Terabithia, but with balaclavas. My favorite line of the book — particularly relevant as Daniel McGowan just reported to prison as a 'terrorist' — is when one of the children comforts the other, and says: 'There's a time to cry, and a time to fight back.'

It wasn't long ago that industry groups labeled Hoot “soft core eco-terrorism for kids” because the protagonists fight to end a development project that threatens a population of endangered owls. And Charlotte's Web, we're told, promotes animal rights extremism.

I can't wait to see what they have to say about this one . . . "

review from:
Slingshot
Harvest 2007, Issue #95
written by Skullface

“The Secret World of Terijian is an enlightening look at just how the destruction of the earth's natural habitat effects everyone, from six year old adventurers to thirty-six year old construction workers, from birds to elves and fairies.”

"Up until recently, I hadn't heard much about The Secret World of Terijian. However, earlier this summer, I attended an environmental gathering where a little girl asked me to read it to her. Written as what seems to be a short children's book, it has the potential to open up the inner child in every one of us. By the end of the first chapter that morning, there were three of us sitting in a small circle, reading to each other aloud.

The magical story of The Secret World of Terijian is divided into somewhat long chapters, told in the wide-eyed romanticism one might experience in the early stages of life. It starts out as the main character, Connor, young, shy, and imaginative, meets his new neighbor, Moriko. Together, they explore the wooded area behind their homes, through games of make-believe and the real life struggles they encounter along the way.

It is in that secret forest which Connor and Moriko encounter a beautiful hawk, and her babies who have yet to learn how to fly. Further into the woods, they stumble across a monster of a bulldozer cutting down the trees to make way for the rest of the a new housing development in the children's neighborhood. In order to save the young birds and the tree they live in, the children brainstorm ways to kill the machine before it kills any other animals.

The book follows Connor and Moriko as they disobey their parents, sneak out late at night, and make friends with the elves who also reside in the trees of the forest. Their struggle is one that will both warm your heart and fuel your revolutionary spirit. Written by an anonymous author, it provides an interesting twist to the Crimethinc. Collective's effort to educate the masses, including those young and old alike.

The Secret World of Terijian is an enlightening look at just how the destruction of the earth's natural habitat effects everyone, from six year old adventurers to thirty-six year old construction workers, from birds to elves and fairies. It shows just how much can be accomplished when you stand up and fight for what you believe in, no matter how insignificant you may think you are or how scared you are in the beginning. Even U.S. attorney for the District of Oregon, Karin J. Engdall, thinks so: "... The story line of this children's book romanticizes the activities of the Earth Liberation Front and encourages children to become involved in similar criminal conduct . . . "