Reading children's books is one of my great loves. I am interested in all sorts of genres, but I recently found one at the public library especially suited for my particular interests. The Tree Lady is a non-fiction book about a determined young woman named Kate Sessions who broke the mold of her time, earned a degree is science in 1881, and then pioneered the effort to transform dry, desert San Diego into a lush garden oasis. Katherine Sessions was a horticulturist, a naturalist, a landscape architect, an educator, a green-thumb, a tree-lover, a pioneer, and a wonderfully inspiring person. Her most notable accomplishment, as the book details, is her creation of Balboa Park in San Diego. She is lovingly remembered as the "Mother of Balboa Park". (Now I have one more reason to get to Southern California!)
The Tree Lady gives a lovely glimpse into Kate Sessions life, but also encourages its readers to pursue their own dreams, and to be driven, courageous, and determined. I appreciate that message! My personal green-thumb dreams are not as lofty or public, but dreams nonetheless, and I love the encouragement from a children's book to be true to them. I resonate with Kate's underlying desire to make the world a more beautiful place; I have that dream too.
p.s.--Jill McElmurry's illustrations are fantastic, sort of folk art in style and reminiscent of Barbara Cooney, another fantastic children's book author/illustrator.
