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Welcome readers, youth eco-activists, nature explorers, and budding totem mages to the Totem Magic website!
Yes, that was me (the big nature dude) dancing on the California Conservation Corps’ viral video. Leonard Patton, Antwon McCoy and I danced many times together after that video was recorded. I think dancing is a great way to connect to one another. You should try it if you haven’t already!!!And you can watch that video again or one of my many other videos featuring corps members on my youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/TotemMagicGoingMAD?feature=mhee
I was inspired to write Totem Magic: Going MAD for kids ten and up for a few different reasons. The first one that comes to mind is that I am very concerned for the state of our natural world and especially the endangered species we share it with. Totem Magic: Going MAD weaves a fast-paced and fun story around the grim phenomena of climate change, habitat destruction, and endangered species by edu-taining you with real and imaginary environmental solutions and attitudes in a fictional world where endangered species have their own magical protectors (totem mages).
I also wrote this book after noticing that many of the youth I work with aren’t connected to nature in a way that promotes compassion and stewardship. This “disconnected from nature” phenomenon was given a name by a sharp observer named Richard Louv. He called it nature deficient disorder (NDD). NDD is a modern affliction caused by the indoor childhood epidemic. In other words, kids are spending more time than ever indoors—in front of electronic screens—and less time outdoors exploring and playing in nature. The more I work with the victims of an indoor childhood, the more I want to inspire them to make discoveries in nature and enjoy free-play outdoors in a way similar to my own fun and adventurous childhood. So I decided to mitigate NDD by engaging youth out in nature through my work with the California Conservation Corps and by doing some creative storytelling.
Another reason I wrote Totem Magic: Going MAD was because it became obvious to me that the “wildlife conservation community” is not nearly as ethnically and economically diverse as the neighborhood I grew up in and the world around us. ALL people should have access to and be engaged with nature! ALL people should be guardians of the wild! It will take EVERYONE to save our planet from the catastrophic species extinction event that we are currently experiencing. The characters in Totem Magic: Going MAD look a lot like the diverse group of youth that I work with in the CCC. That’s what makes Totem Magic: Going MAD a multicultural eco-fantasy: the character makeup looks like ALL of us. ALL types of people in my story are fighting to save ALL of nature. But…unlike us, all my characters are using pretty bizarre magic to do it.
I am donating the profits from my book to groups that help the youth in their communities get access to organic food and playtime outdoors, to wildlife care centers, and groups that promote ethnic/racial diversity within the conservation movement. It makes me very happy to do this, and these dedicated groups need lots of donations to keep doing their great work! During the first six months, I split all the profits from sales of my book three ways among: the California Conservation Corps Foundation (www.cccfoundation.net), the Hawaii Wildlife Center (hawaiiwildlifecenter.org), and The Save Lucy the Bat Campaign (savelucythebat.org). Please check out these three wonderful organizations so you can see how the profits from Totem Magic: Going MAD are being used to help make the world a better place! For the second round of donations, I have chosen The Center for Diversity and the Environment (www.environmentaldiversity.org), The Ojai Raptor Center (www.ojairaptorcenter.org ), and the California Conservation Corps Foundation (www.cccfoundation.net) . Help me donate big to these three groups by purchasing a book today and spreading the word about Totem Magic: Going MAD. In December 2012, I will pick three new organizations to donate my profits to for the following six months. Suggestions are welcome if you know of an awesome organization that is doing this type of work. Keep in mind that whatever group you suggest must be a non-profit and fulfill at least one of the following criteria:
- They rescue and care for wildlife (wildlife centers) or…
- Promote ethnic/racial diversity within the conservation movement or…
- Educate youth about endangered species and how to save them or…
- Create access and opportunities for kids to go outside and explore nature (especially urban kids).
My hope is that by reading about magical protectors of endangered species (totem mages), kids will want to go outside to explore nature and become guardians of the wild. The more copies of my book I can sell, the larger the donations I can make to wonderful groups who show compassion for nature. So, please, help me get the word out there about Totem Magic: Going MAD! I hope you enjoy reading about the adventures of Vulchy and Connie, and that you become inspired to learn about their totem animals: the turkey vulture and mountain lion. And who knows, maybe after reading it you will realize that you are a totem mage, too! If so, what is your totem animal?
Stay tuned for future reports on this blog that are posted during the first week of each month. Click on “blog” on the tool bar above to read past entries. And visit my book’s Facebook page at facebook.com/TotemMagicGoingMAD
Totem Magic: Going MAD is available in many forms!
You can order it at ANY bookstore by name or ISBN number: 9781604946819.
In print from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Totem-Magic-Going-John-Griffith/dp/1604946814/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1336840123&sr=8-1
On Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/totem-magic-john-griffith/1108228371?ean=2940013924741
On E-reader: http://ebookstore.sony.com/ebook/john-griffith/totem-magic/_/R-400000000000000649983
Thanks for being part of this “MAD” and magical effort to learn about and save endangered species! See you outdoors!
I love the book and dig the site! Thanks for all the great wildlife links!
I just finished the book and love it! Congrats and hope for many many readers to experience it. I especially was effected by the zombie Herbert’s, as Hawaii is the endangered species capital of the US and needs more Totem Mage’s to look out for the unique and threatened species that remain.
Mahalo nui loa John!
There’s no bounds to what a 3C’er can do! Congrats on your book, wow. Wishing all the BEST to you, what you are doing is great, you will be blessed.
I can’t wait to get my hands on this book and share it with my grand-daughters!
That makes me happy to hear! I hope you all enjoy it!
Congrats & thanks for your work. I look forward to reading and sharing with my Granddaughters, Nieces & Nephews. We must do all in our power to reverse the trend of ‘Separation’ between people, the rest of creation & our spirituality.
I’d also like to get my hands on the book, but another way than amazon. Is there a way to get some copies into one of our local stores, say northtown or booklegger?
Yeah, you can order it through any bookstore!
John, I absolutely loved the book! I will be getting more copies to share with my nieces and nephews, who I know will love the book as much as I did. Your website is awesome and informative and I look forward to reading what your next post has to say
Got a copy at my local bookstore. Found it immensely generous, goofy, gross, wildly imaginative and good-spirited. Thanks, John.
John, I haven’t taken a look at the book yet, but it sounds wonderful. Learned about it on the Hawai’i Wildlife Center website (I live only a mile away from the Center). I work energetically with land and the Earth as a whole (see the websites), and what you’re doing dovetails beautifully. Helping to create a healthier, more evolved, more respectful world is what it’s all about. I have a brand new granddaughter, and when she’s a little older, your book will be on her reading list.
Great read John! Thank you for writing it. I have passed it on to some of my daugther’s friends in the neighborhood. I wrote a review of the book on my blog. Feel free to share.
http://hikingalongtrails.blogspot.com/2012/08/finding-strength-as-environmental-hero.html
Thank you sooooo much, Jennifer. I especially loved this paragraph in the review “Connie, a black girl, is a strong character who doesn’t take crap from people, witches or monsters. Her strength throughout the journey helps Enrique to notice his own in spite of his fear. So when Vulchy vomited green puke on the vampire to escape death, I cheered with pride. In the end, it’s Vulchy becoming his totem mage that lifts his wings in ultimate self-confidence. Totem Magic, Going Mad is an engaging read for teens and adults that mirrors the complex themes of bullying and environmental degradation present in today’s world.”
Wow, a guy who loves and protects the environment who can both write and DANCE! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/11/john-griffith-dance-california-conservation-corps_n_2854910.html?utm_hp_ref=comedy
John, you need to be cloned for every woman alive.
lol, thank you
I can not wait to read and share your book! Im already thinking “Can I come work with you?!” Just from the bio above! You hit the nail on the head! I’ve spent 14 yrs in the Air Force and the last 8 yrs teaching diversity, equality etc. My passion is with our youth and affecting change through and with them; clean green enviroment, organic healthy eating and therapeutic outreach through nature and animals…. “High tech, low touch” we are creating a social retardant in our youth with all the social media, texting, gaming etc…. Awesome that you’ve found a way to encompass it all! Fan already! Oh and the dancing video is adorable! We need more open, creative minded people like you! Ok im going to shut up now and go buy/read the book!
this guy can dance!
I saw your video and I loved it. That brought me to your site. I’m going to order your book for my kids! I am from the Chico area to but now reside in Los Angeles. Please make another dance video!!! I loved it.
Thank you. We will be making dance and other videos for a long time. We have been. Check out my youtube channel. I will eventually load all the videos to this site.
If you can dance and have amazing moves, your book must be amazing!!!
I really hope you or a kid you know enjoys it!
We are definitely going to busting out more videos and many of them will be dance videos. Leonard’s interview on my youtube channel definitely has some dancing in it.
I work for scholastic book fairs maybe some day I’ll see your book at our warehouse this would be a good book to send out to the schools.
I hope so, Melinda. It is very difficult to get the word out about Totem Magic: Going MAD. Right now I rely on the recipients of the book profits for most of my marketing. But, yes, I do hope to meet you at a book fair someday. I’ve never even been to one!