Thank you for joining the Parker twins for their fourth adventure! The Magic on the Map books are made-up stories, but Molly and Finn faced a very real-life threat in Escape from Camp California—wildfires.
Wildfires have become more common and more destructive than ever before. A big reason for this is something you may have heard of—something called climate change.
It’s important to know that climate is different from weather. Weather changes from day to day. Climate is the weather patterns over a long period of time. And climate change is the process of our planet heating up overall. Certain human-made gases, like carbon dioxide, trap heat inside the earth’s atmosphere. That makes the earth get warmer. Since 1880, the overall temperature of the earth has risen by over 1˚F.
One degree doesn’t sound like a lot, but it makes a big difference. Scientists have observed icebergs melting and sea levels rising. As Molly and Finn learned, the earth is also experiencing longer dry spells. When the ground is dry, it’s easier for fires to spread.
The good news is, there are things you can do to fight climate change. You can reduce the amount of energy you use—turn the lights out when you leave a room, use fewer electronics (read books instead!), and walk or ride your bike to your friend’s house if it’s not too far away. This will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide that’s released into the atmosphere. You can also remember PET’s wildfire tips: Never play with matches or lighters. If you go camping, only start fires in designated campfire areas, and make sure to extinguish the flames completely before you leave.
If you want to learn more about climate change, we recommend checking out Kids Against Climate Change. Learn more about this at kidsagainstclimatechange.co.
We hope you enjoy your travels—both real and made-up!
Your friends,
Courtney & Bianca
California State Facts
The California state tree is the redwood. The state flower is the golden poppy, and the state bird is the California quail.
The California state flag looks like this:
The official colors of California are blue and gold.
Sacramento is the state capital.
Sequoia National Park, in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountain range, is home to one of the largest living trees—a Sequoia redwood tree. Its name is General Sherman, and its circumference is over 100 feet! That’s more than the height of ten elephants combined!
The Golden Gate Bridge connects the city of San Francisco to Marin County and is one of the seven wonders of the modern world. It’s actually more orange than gold, but it looks golden when the sun hits it.
California is called the Golden State because gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill sawmill in 1849, which caused the famous California gold rush of 1849. The miners were called the 49ers, which is also the name of San Francisco’s football team.
The state motto is “Eureka!” which means “I have found it!”
California is also known for its iconic film industry and studios. People come from all over the world to “make it” in Hollywood.
PET’s favorite California fact:
Fog is common in the San Francisco Bay Area because the hot Northern California air meets the cold ocean air, creating a fog effect, which often leads to travel alerts. But PET can fly through the fog, no problem!
Where will Finn and Molly go next?
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Escape From Camp California Page 5