Welcome to Deer Creek Publishing, publisher of “What the Parrot Told Alice” and “What the Orangutan Told Alice” by writer and photographer Dale Smith. This well researched, easy-to-read “environmental fiction” series is written for middle and high school students.

The purpose of these books is to entertain young readers while educating them about important environmental issues.

Author Dale Smith believes environmental awareness springs from environmental education and that health of the earth’s ecosystems will soon be in the hands of today’s young people. “In the not-too-distant future,” says Smith, “many of the children on the playground down the street will be sitting behind desks making decisions that will, for better or worse, affect the ecological health of the earth. My goal in writing these books is to give those kids something to think about before that day arrives.”

Free teacher’s guides for both books are available as downloads from this web site, making the books ideal for busy educators seeking new ways to introduce students to contemporary environmental issues.

Maya, a rehabilitated female orangutan living independently in a protected Borneo forest, strikes a thoughtful pose.