Myrtle

Authors

Christa Neumann, St. Mary's UniversityFollow

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Digital Publisher

Digital Commons at St. Mary's University

Department

English Literature and Languages

Keywords

Digital Museum Exhibit, Fairy tales, Climate change, Curator talk, Illustrations, Audio, Video, Essay, Infographic, Crape Myrtle (Lagerstroemia)

LCSH Subject

Fairy Tales; Climate Change

Description

This digital museum exhibit features the climate change fairy tale Myrtle, presented as a written narrative and recorded reading that explores environmental themes through the story of the crape myrtle tree and its connection to climate change. It also includes an infographic highlighting the Lagerstroemia, the scientific name, with information about its habitat, environmental risks, and key characteristics. There is a curator talk that reflects on the creative process and course takeaways related to climate change awareness and an exhibit featuring an artifact entry using the image of a bunny to symbolically bridge the enchantment of fairy tales with the burdens of global warming. The persuasive essay Between Fear and Apathy: How Cuteness is the Needed Tension for Climate Change Awareness, argues that fairy tales and emotional storytelling can increase engagement and dialogue about environmental issues.

Collection

Speak For the Trees!

Format

Multiple

Size

Varying

Medium

Multiple

Document Type

Collection

Disciplines

Fiction | Folklore | Sustainability

Recommended Citation

Neumann, Christa, "Myrtle" (2026). Speak for the Trees!. 8.
https://commons.stmarytx.edu/fairytales2/8

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.