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The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever Kindle Edition
Unearth the true story of green-thumbed pioneer and activist Kate Sessions, who helped San Diego grow from a dry desert town into a lush, leafy city known for its gorgeous parks and gardens.
Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she’d live in a place without trees. After all, Kate grew up among the towering pines and redwoods of Northern California. But after becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Where there were almost no trees.
Kate decided that San Diego needed trees more than anything else. So this trailblazing young woman singlehandedly started a massive movement that transformed the town into the green, garden-filled oasis it is today. Now, more than 100 years after Kate first arrived in San Diego, her gorgeous gardens and parks can be found all over the city.
Part fascinating biography, part inspirational story, this moving picture book about following your dreams, using your talents, and staying strong in the face of adversity is sure to resonate with readers young and old.
Katherine Olivia Sessions never thought she’d live in a place without trees. After all, Kate grew up among the towering pines and redwoods of Northern California. But after becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a degree in science, she took a job as a teacher far south in the dry desert town of San Diego. Where there were almost no trees.
Kate decided that San Diego needed trees more than anything else. So this trailblazing young woman singlehandedly started a massive movement that transformed the town into the green, garden-filled oasis it is today. Now, more than 100 years after Kate first arrived in San Diego, her gorgeous gardens and parks can be found all over the city.
Part fascinating biography, part inspirational story, this moving picture book about following your dreams, using your talents, and staying strong in the face of adversity is sure to resonate with readers young and old.
- LanguageEnglish
- Grade levelKindergarten - 5
- Lexile measure760L
- PublisherBeach Lane Books
- Publication dateSeptember 17, 2013
- ISBN-13978-1442414020
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Echoing Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius in artistic style and theme, this picture book biography recalls the life and contributions of a horticulturist in the late 19th century. Kate Sessions populated San Diego’s landscape with not lupines but trees. Her love for nature dated back to her childhood, where, in school, “she liked studying wind and rain, muscles and bones, plants and trees. Especially trees.” McElmurry’s (Mad About Plaid) naïve illustrations are packed with patterns, from the dusty brown houses Sessions views as she docks in San Diego to the teardrop and polka-dot motifs in the trees. Likewise, debut author Hopkins skillfully employs a pattern in his narrative, a catchy refrain that emphasizes Sessions’s can-do attitude: “Not everyone feels at home in the woods. But Kate did.... Most San Diegans didn’t think trees could ever grow there. But Kate did.” Vignettes that include muddy handprints, labeled plant cell parts, and trees subtitled with their Latin names complement the larger gouache spreads, and a concluding note explains more about the inspirational spirit and work of a pioneering arborist. Ages 5–10. Illustrator’s agent: Marcia Wernick, Wernick & Pratt. (Sept.) (Publishers Weekly)
* “A terrific jacket image shows a tiny girl in a towering forest as seen from above. Who is this girl? And why is she the tree lady? Well, turns out Katherine Olivia Sessions, who grew up in Northern California in the 1860s, always loved trees…. A little-known, can-do woman shines in this handsome picture book from Hopkins and McElmurry. Hopkins ably brings a woman’s passion—and some science—to a story that’s accessible for young children. And, oh the pictures! Both old-timey and lush, they evoke Kate’s vision perfectly, and individually labeled illustrations of trees add to the educational value. A lovely tribute to the pioneering (and environmentalist) spirit, topped off by an author’s note.” (Booklist, June 1, 2013, *STARRED REVIEW)
* “A little-known, can-do woman shines in this handsome picture book from Hopkins and McElmurry. Hopkins ably brings a woman’s passion—and some science—to a story that’s accessible for young children. And, oh the pictures! Both old-timey and lush, they evoke Kate’s vision perfectly, and individually labeled illustrations of trees add to the educational value. A lovely tribute to the pioneering (and environmentalist) spirit, topped off by an author’s note.” (Booklist, June 1, 2013, *STARRED REVIEW)
THE TREE LADY
The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever
Author: H. Joseph Hopkins
Illustrator: Jill McElmurry
Review Issue Date: July 15, 2013
Online Publish Date: June 26, 2013
Publisher:Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Pages: 32
Price (Hardcover ): $16.99
Price (e-book ): $12.99
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
ISBN (Hardcover ): 978-1-4424-1402-0
ISBN (e-book ): 978-1-4424-8727-7
Category: Picture Books
Hopkins respectfully profiles Kate Sessions, a pioneering horticulturalist who helped transform San Diego’s City Park from a barren waste into today’s lush, tree-filled Balboa Park.
Hopkins traces the effects of Kate’s childhood affinity for science and fascination with trees. Roaming the Northern California woods as a child and becoming the first woman to earn a science degree from the University of California in 1881, Kate turned her passion into work that transformed a community. After a brief teaching stint in San Diego, she became a gardener and worked out a nifty deal with the city: In exchange for leasing acreage for a plant nursery within City Park, she promised to plant 100 trees a year in the park and deliver additional hundreds for planting citywide. Sessions sourced seeds from species grown globally and coordinated tree-planting parties to beautify Balboa Park in time for the city’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Hopkins’ text presents Sessions’ achievements in simple language embodying Kate’s can-do spirit. “Most San Diegans didn’t think trees could ever grow there. But Kate did.” McElmurry’s gouache illustrations adopt a stylized, reductive approach. Foliage is rendered as green globes decorated with leaf forms; the bark of palms sports simple crosshatching. The artist nicely conveys Kate’s life arc, from child among sequoias to elder on a tree-lined park path.
An appealing treatment of an accomplished woman’s life. (author’s note) (Picture book/biography. 5-9) (Kirkus Reviews)
"Hopkins respectfully profiles Kate Sessions, a pioneering horticulturalist who helped transform San Diego’s City Park from a barren waste into today’s lush, tree-filled Balboa Park.... Hopkins’ text presents Sessions’ achievements in simple language embodying Kate’s can-do spirit.... McElmurry’s gouache illustrations adopt a stylized, reductive approach.... The artist nicely conveys Kate’s life arc, from child among sequoias to elder on a tree-lined park path. An appealing treatment of an accomplished woman’s life." (Kirkus Reviews, July 2013)
The Tree Lady:
The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever
by H. Joseph Hopkins; illus. by Jill McElmurry
Primary Beach Lane/Simon 32 pp.
9/13 978-1-4424-1402-0 $16.99
e-book ed. 978-1-4424-8727-7 $12.99
A real-life Miss Rumphius, Kate Sessions was responsible for populating San Diego’s Balboa Park with lush, green trees, just in time for the Panama-California Exposition in 1915. In fact, “by the early 1900s, one in four trees growing in San Diego came from her nursery.” Sessions grew up in northern California, loved studying science in school, and became the first woman to graduate from Berkeley with a degree in science. Upon graduation, she moved to San Diego for a teaching job, but after a couple of years she turned her attention to Balboa Park, and the rest is history. Hopkins’s text succinctly captures the highlights of her subject’s life, punctuating each page with a variation of the refrain, “But Kate did,” effectively underscoring Sessions’s drive and determination. McElmurry’s gouache illustrations document the gradually changing landscape from barren desert to verdant garden. One particularly effective spread not only illustrates twelve different kinds of trees Sessions brought to San Diego but also shows the far-flung places from which they were imported. This picture book biography captures the infectious passion Sessions had for her chosen vocation, but it’s also a wonderful testament to urban planning and human ecology—and a great book for Arbor Day. An author’s note is appended. jonathan hunt
(The Horn Book)
"A real-life Miss Rumphius, Kate Sessions was responsible for populating San Diego’s Balboa Park with lush, green trees, just in time for the Panama-California Exposition in 1915.... Hopkins’s text succinctly captures the highlights...effectively underscoring Sessions’s drive and determination. McElmurry’s gouache illustrations document the gradually changing landscape from barren desert to verdant garden. One particularly effective spread not only illustrates twelve different kinds of trees Sessions brought to San Diego but also shows the far-flung places from which they were imported. This picture book biography captures the infectious passion Sessions had for her chosen vocation, but it’s also a wonderful testament to urban planning and human ecology—and a great book for Arbor Day." (Horn Book Magazine, September-October 2013)
"Echoing Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius in artistic style and theme, this picture book biography recalls the life and contributions of a horticulturist in the late 19th century. Kate Sessions populated San Diego’s landscape with not lupines but trees.... McElmurry’s (Mad About Plaid) naïve illustrations are packed with patterns, from the dusty brown houses Sessions views as she docks in San Diego to the teardrop and polka-dot motifs in the trees. Likewise, debut author Hopkins skillfully employs a pattern in his narrative, a catchy refrain that emphasizes Sessions’s can-do attitude.... Vignettes that include muddy handprints, labeled plant cell parts, and trees subtitled with their Latin names complement the larger gouache spreads, and a concluding note explains more about the inspirational spirit and work of a pioneering arborist." (Publishers Weekly, September 2013)
“For slightly older readers ready for a little history, Hopkins describes the magic wrought by the Tree Lady, a real Victorian-era woman named Kate Sessions, who transformed San Diego’s arid Balboa Park into a lush, tree-filled garden…. Hopkins includes a lot of facts in the story, but his clever repetition of the phrase “But Kate did” each time her success confound expectations adds rhythm and a predictable structure.
Even children who find the details of Sessions’ life difficult to absorb are likely to be enchanted by the book’s appearance. McElmurry’s paintings combine stylized design elements with naturalistic details…the plants and trees are detailed and distinct but also simplified enough that their basic structures can be easily understood.
“The Tree Lady” has an obvious companion in “Miss Rumphius”…. In their own way, these true stories of unconventional American lives fulfill their heroines’ ambitions of making the world a more beautiful place—and plant the seeds of future beauty in the minds of their readers.” (The New York Times, September 11, 2013)
* "Katherine Olivia Sessions was a real go-getter, becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a science degree (1881) and transforming San Diego’s City Park from a dry, ugly hillside into a lush garden flourishing beneath a beautiful canopy of trees.... Hopkins writes in a light narrative style that makes this picture-book biography a great selection for a storytime with a nature-based theme, but it also contains good information for early report writers. The author utilizes variations of a positive, upbeat refrain–“but she did”–that kids will enjoy repeating. McElmurry’s artwork undergirds Hopkins’s writing with stylized beauty and a sense of joy. This is a wonderful tribute to a true champion of nature."
(School Library Journal, November 2013, *STARRED REVIEW)
This picture-book biography of Katherine Olivia Sessions traces the nineteenthcentury
horticulturist from curious child with an affinity for trees, to the first woman
to graduate with a science degree from the University of California, to schoolteacher
with a vision for a greener, cooler, shadier San Diego than the sun-scorched patch
she viewed from her classroom window. Determined to identify plants suitable
to the local climate and soil, she “became a tree hunter” on the lookout for “trees
that like hot, dry weather and steep hills and canyons.” Soon she had San Diego’s
City Park blooming, and when the city hosted the Panama-California Exposition,
she galvanized volunteers and took charge of landscaping. The lively text, with its
frequent repetitions of “Kate did,” “she did,” they did,” etc., exudes an optimistic,
can-do attitude that will make listeners feel they’re in the presence of a newfound
hero. McElmurry’s paintings, which add a dash of playfulness to a folk-art style,
convey both the possibilities of the bare orange landscape and the lushness and
variety of Sessions’ mature plantings. An author’s note offers additional detail, but
the main text handily describes how a scientist-turned-teacher-turned-activist created
her leafy legacy well into the twentieth century. EB (Bulletin)
"This picture-book biography of Katherine Olivia Sessions traces the nineteenthcentury horticulturist from curious child with an affinity for trees, to the first woman to graduate with a science degree from the University of California, to schoolteacher with a vision for a greener, cooler, shadier San Diego than the sun-scorched patch she viewed from her classroom window.... The lively text, with its frequent repetitions of “Kate did,” “she did,” they did,” etc., exudes an optimistic, can-do attitude that will make listeners feel they’re in the presence of a newfound hero. McElmurry’s paintings, which add a dash of playfulness to a folk-art style, convey both the possibilities of the bare orange landscape and the lushness and variety of Sessions’ mature plantings. An author’s note offers additional detail, but the main text handily describes how a scientist-turned-teacher-turned-activist created her leafy legacy well into the twentieth century." (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, October 2013)
"A very useful read-aloud for a science lesson in ecology and conservation.... The Tree Lady is a worthwhile addition to any collection and is particularly useful in integrating science with literature and biography." (Library Media Connection, January/February 2014)
"With an economical text and a spirited refrain, debut author H. Joseph Hopkins tells the story of boundary-breaking scientist Katherine Olivia Sessions.... The story is as much poetry as it is biography.... Kate broke the boundaries of what most women could do because of her passion for science, and for trees in particular. Her story will inspire children to follow their dreams." (Shelf Awareness, October 2013)
Richie's Picks: THE TREE LADY: THE TRUE STORY OF HOW ONE TREE-LOVING WOMAN CHANGED A CITY FOREVER by H. Joseph Hopkins and Jill McElmurry, ill.,
Beach Lane/Simon and Schuster, September 2013, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-4424-1402-0
"She loved the way they reached toward the sky and how their branches stretched wide to catch the light. Trees seemed to Kate like giant umbrellas that sheltered her and the animals, birds, and plants that lived in the forest.
"Not everyone feels at home in the woods.
"But Kate did.
"When Kate grew up, she left home to study science in college. She looked at soil and insects through a microscope. She learned how plants made food and how they drank water. And she studied trees from around the world.
"No woman had ever graduated from the University of California with a degree in science.
"But in 1881, Kate did."
Kate Sessions is known as the mother of San Diego's 1,200 acre Balboa Park. Almost every big, old tree in that park and around the city is one that she grew and planted. Thanks to all the trees and plants she planted in Balboa, she was the unsung hero of San Diego's successful Panama-California
Exposition in the park a century ago.
I've been down in San Diego a couple of times for American Library Association conventions. Yet I didn't have a clue that it once was a desert town. And that's the legacy of tree-lover Kate Sessions, who grew up in northern California, ended up in San Diego as a teacher, but then left teaching to become a gardener. It was at this point that she "wrote letters to gardeners all over the world and asked them to send her seeds that could grow in a desert." The results are history.
To me, this inspirational picture book for older readers has so many things going for it. I love true stories about women from the past who have accomplished big things. The old Boy Scout in me loves that the big thing Kate Sessions accomplished was to plant a crazy number of trees, turning a desert city into a lush one. I really love the illustrations here, which are very reminiscent of Barbara Cooney's folk style. And I love that, as I learned in the Author's Note, Kate Sessions also wrote newspaper and magazine articles sharing her extensive horticultural expertise (and no doubt her
love of trees) with the public.
A scientist, tree lover, and writer? This tree lady rocked! (Richie Partington, MLIS)
* “A terrific jacket image shows a tiny girl in a towering forest as seen from above. Who is this girl? And why is she the tree lady? Well, turns out Katherine Olivia Sessions, who grew up in Northern California in the 1860s, always loved trees…. A little-known, can-do woman shines in this handsome picture book from Hopkins and McElmurry. Hopkins ably brings a woman’s passion—and some science—to a story that’s accessible for young children. And, oh the pictures! Both old-timey and lush, they evoke Kate’s vision perfectly, and individually labeled illustrations of trees add to the educational value. A lovely tribute to the pioneering (and environmentalist) spirit, topped off by an author’s note.” (Booklist, June 1, 2013, *STARRED REVIEW)
* “A little-known, can-do woman shines in this handsome picture book from Hopkins and McElmurry. Hopkins ably brings a woman’s passion—and some science—to a story that’s accessible for young children. And, oh the pictures! Both old-timey and lush, they evoke Kate’s vision perfectly, and individually labeled illustrations of trees add to the educational value. A lovely tribute to the pioneering (and environmentalist) spirit, topped off by an author’s note.” (Booklist, June 1, 2013, *STARRED REVIEW)
THE TREE LADY
The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever
Author: H. Joseph Hopkins
Illustrator: Jill McElmurry
Review Issue Date: July 15, 2013
Online Publish Date: June 26, 2013
Publisher:Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Pages: 32
Price (Hardcover ): $16.99
Price (e-book ): $12.99
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
ISBN (Hardcover ): 978-1-4424-1402-0
ISBN (e-book ): 978-1-4424-8727-7
Category: Picture Books
Hopkins respectfully profiles Kate Sessions, a pioneering horticulturalist who helped transform San Diego’s City Park from a barren waste into today’s lush, tree-filled Balboa Park.
Hopkins traces the effects of Kate’s childhood affinity for science and fascination with trees. Roaming the Northern California woods as a child and becoming the first woman to earn a science degree from the University of California in 1881, Kate turned her passion into work that transformed a community. After a brief teaching stint in San Diego, she became a gardener and worked out a nifty deal with the city: In exchange for leasing acreage for a plant nursery within City Park, she promised to plant 100 trees a year in the park and deliver additional hundreds for planting citywide. Sessions sourced seeds from species grown globally and coordinated tree-planting parties to beautify Balboa Park in time for the city’s 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Hopkins’ text presents Sessions’ achievements in simple language embodying Kate’s can-do spirit. “Most San Diegans didn’t think trees could ever grow there. But Kate did.” McElmurry’s gouache illustrations adopt a stylized, reductive approach. Foliage is rendered as green globes decorated with leaf forms; the bark of palms sports simple crosshatching. The artist nicely conveys Kate’s life arc, from child among sequoias to elder on a tree-lined park path.
An appealing treatment of an accomplished woman’s life. (author’s note) (Picture book/biography. 5-9) (Kirkus Reviews)
"Hopkins respectfully profiles Kate Sessions, a pioneering horticulturalist who helped transform San Diego’s City Park from a barren waste into today’s lush, tree-filled Balboa Park.... Hopkins’ text presents Sessions’ achievements in simple language embodying Kate’s can-do spirit.... McElmurry’s gouache illustrations adopt a stylized, reductive approach.... The artist nicely conveys Kate’s life arc, from child among sequoias to elder on a tree-lined park path. An appealing treatment of an accomplished woman’s life." (Kirkus Reviews, July 2013)
The Tree Lady:
The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever
by H. Joseph Hopkins; illus. by Jill McElmurry
Primary Beach Lane/Simon 32 pp.
9/13 978-1-4424-1402-0 $16.99
e-book ed. 978-1-4424-8727-7 $12.99
A real-life Miss Rumphius, Kate Sessions was responsible for populating San Diego’s Balboa Park with lush, green trees, just in time for the Panama-California Exposition in 1915. In fact, “by the early 1900s, one in four trees growing in San Diego came from her nursery.” Sessions grew up in northern California, loved studying science in school, and became the first woman to graduate from Berkeley with a degree in science. Upon graduation, she moved to San Diego for a teaching job, but after a couple of years she turned her attention to Balboa Park, and the rest is history. Hopkins’s text succinctly captures the highlights of her subject’s life, punctuating each page with a variation of the refrain, “But Kate did,” effectively underscoring Sessions’s drive and determination. McElmurry’s gouache illustrations document the gradually changing landscape from barren desert to verdant garden. One particularly effective spread not only illustrates twelve different kinds of trees Sessions brought to San Diego but also shows the far-flung places from which they were imported. This picture book biography captures the infectious passion Sessions had for her chosen vocation, but it’s also a wonderful testament to urban planning and human ecology—and a great book for Arbor Day. An author’s note is appended. jonathan hunt
(The Horn Book)
"A real-life Miss Rumphius, Kate Sessions was responsible for populating San Diego’s Balboa Park with lush, green trees, just in time for the Panama-California Exposition in 1915.... Hopkins’s text succinctly captures the highlights...effectively underscoring Sessions’s drive and determination. McElmurry’s gouache illustrations document the gradually changing landscape from barren desert to verdant garden. One particularly effective spread not only illustrates twelve different kinds of trees Sessions brought to San Diego but also shows the far-flung places from which they were imported. This picture book biography captures the infectious passion Sessions had for her chosen vocation, but it’s also a wonderful testament to urban planning and human ecology—and a great book for Arbor Day." (Horn Book Magazine, September-October 2013)
"Echoing Barbara Cooney’s Miss Rumphius in artistic style and theme, this picture book biography recalls the life and contributions of a horticulturist in the late 19th century. Kate Sessions populated San Diego’s landscape with not lupines but trees.... McElmurry’s (Mad About Plaid) naïve illustrations are packed with patterns, from the dusty brown houses Sessions views as she docks in San Diego to the teardrop and polka-dot motifs in the trees. Likewise, debut author Hopkins skillfully employs a pattern in his narrative, a catchy refrain that emphasizes Sessions’s can-do attitude.... Vignettes that include muddy handprints, labeled plant cell parts, and trees subtitled with their Latin names complement the larger gouache spreads, and a concluding note explains more about the inspirational spirit and work of a pioneering arborist." (Publishers Weekly, September 2013)
“For slightly older readers ready for a little history, Hopkins describes the magic wrought by the Tree Lady, a real Victorian-era woman named Kate Sessions, who transformed San Diego’s arid Balboa Park into a lush, tree-filled garden…. Hopkins includes a lot of facts in the story, but his clever repetition of the phrase “But Kate did” each time her success confound expectations adds rhythm and a predictable structure.
Even children who find the details of Sessions’ life difficult to absorb are likely to be enchanted by the book’s appearance. McElmurry’s paintings combine stylized design elements with naturalistic details…the plants and trees are detailed and distinct but also simplified enough that their basic structures can be easily understood.
“The Tree Lady” has an obvious companion in “Miss Rumphius”…. In their own way, these true stories of unconventional American lives fulfill their heroines’ ambitions of making the world a more beautiful place—and plant the seeds of future beauty in the minds of their readers.” (The New York Times, September 11, 2013)
* "Katherine Olivia Sessions was a real go-getter, becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a science degree (1881) and transforming San Diego’s City Park from a dry, ugly hillside into a lush garden flourishing beneath a beautiful canopy of trees.... Hopkins writes in a light narrative style that makes this picture-book biography a great selection for a storytime with a nature-based theme, but it also contains good information for early report writers. The author utilizes variations of a positive, upbeat refrain–“but she did”–that kids will enjoy repeating. McElmurry’s artwork undergirds Hopkins’s writing with stylized beauty and a sense of joy. This is a wonderful tribute to a true champion of nature."
(School Library Journal, November 2013, *STARRED REVIEW)
This picture-book biography of Katherine Olivia Sessions traces the nineteenthcentury
horticulturist from curious child with an affinity for trees, to the first woman
to graduate with a science degree from the University of California, to schoolteacher
with a vision for a greener, cooler, shadier San Diego than the sun-scorched patch
she viewed from her classroom window. Determined to identify plants suitable
to the local climate and soil, she “became a tree hunter” on the lookout for “trees
that like hot, dry weather and steep hills and canyons.” Soon she had San Diego’s
City Park blooming, and when the city hosted the Panama-California Exposition,
she galvanized volunteers and took charge of landscaping. The lively text, with its
frequent repetitions of “Kate did,” “she did,” they did,” etc., exudes an optimistic,
can-do attitude that will make listeners feel they’re in the presence of a newfound
hero. McElmurry’s paintings, which add a dash of playfulness to a folk-art style,
convey both the possibilities of the bare orange landscape and the lushness and
variety of Sessions’ mature plantings. An author’s note offers additional detail, but
the main text handily describes how a scientist-turned-teacher-turned-activist created
her leafy legacy well into the twentieth century. EB (Bulletin)
"This picture-book biography of Katherine Olivia Sessions traces the nineteenthcentury horticulturist from curious child with an affinity for trees, to the first woman to graduate with a science degree from the University of California, to schoolteacher with a vision for a greener, cooler, shadier San Diego than the sun-scorched patch she viewed from her classroom window.... The lively text, with its frequent repetitions of “Kate did,” “she did,” they did,” etc., exudes an optimistic, can-do attitude that will make listeners feel they’re in the presence of a newfound hero. McElmurry’s paintings, which add a dash of playfulness to a folk-art style, convey both the possibilities of the bare orange landscape and the lushness and variety of Sessions’ mature plantings. An author’s note offers additional detail, but the main text handily describes how a scientist-turned-teacher-turned-activist created her leafy legacy well into the twentieth century." (The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, October 2013)
"A very useful read-aloud for a science lesson in ecology and conservation.... The Tree Lady is a worthwhile addition to any collection and is particularly useful in integrating science with literature and biography." (Library Media Connection, January/February 2014)
"With an economical text and a spirited refrain, debut author H. Joseph Hopkins tells the story of boundary-breaking scientist Katherine Olivia Sessions.... The story is as much poetry as it is biography.... Kate broke the boundaries of what most women could do because of her passion for science, and for trees in particular. Her story will inspire children to follow their dreams." (Shelf Awareness, October 2013)
Richie's Picks: THE TREE LADY: THE TRUE STORY OF HOW ONE TREE-LOVING WOMAN CHANGED A CITY FOREVER by H. Joseph Hopkins and Jill McElmurry, ill.,
Beach Lane/Simon and Schuster, September 2013, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-4424-1402-0
"She loved the way they reached toward the sky and how their branches stretched wide to catch the light. Trees seemed to Kate like giant umbrellas that sheltered her and the animals, birds, and plants that lived in the forest.
"Not everyone feels at home in the woods.
"But Kate did.
"When Kate grew up, she left home to study science in college. She looked at soil and insects through a microscope. She learned how plants made food and how they drank water. And she studied trees from around the world.
"No woman had ever graduated from the University of California with a degree in science.
"But in 1881, Kate did."
Kate Sessions is known as the mother of San Diego's 1,200 acre Balboa Park. Almost every big, old tree in that park and around the city is one that she grew and planted. Thanks to all the trees and plants she planted in Balboa, she was the unsung hero of San Diego's successful Panama-California
Exposition in the park a century ago.
I've been down in San Diego a couple of times for American Library Association conventions. Yet I didn't have a clue that it once was a desert town. And that's the legacy of tree-lover Kate Sessions, who grew up in northern California, ended up in San Diego as a teacher, but then left teaching to become a gardener. It was at this point that she "wrote letters to gardeners all over the world and asked them to send her seeds that could grow in a desert." The results are history.
To me, this inspirational picture book for older readers has so many things going for it. I love true stories about women from the past who have accomplished big things. The old Boy Scout in me loves that the big thing Kate Sessions accomplished was to plant a crazy number of trees, turning a desert city into a lush one. I really love the illustrations here, which are very reminiscent of Barbara Cooney's folk style. And I love that, as I learned in the Author's Note, Kate Sessions also wrote newspaper and magazine articles sharing her extensive horticultural expertise (and no doubt her
love of trees) with the public.
A scientist, tree lover, and writer? This tree lady rocked! (Richie Partington, MLIS)
About the Author
H. Joseph Hopkins is the author of The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever, illustrated by Jill McElmurry. He lives on a houseboat in Portland, Oregon.
Jill McElmurry (1954–2017) was the illustrator of many picture books, including her own Mad About Plaid, When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt, and the bestselling Little Blue Truck series, written by Alice Schertle. She happily divided her time between the wide landscape of New Mexico and a green island in Minnesota. Learn more about her life and work at JillMcElmurry.com.
Jill McElmurry (1954–2017) was the illustrator of many picture books, including her own Mad About Plaid, When Otis Courted Mama by Kathi Appelt, and the bestselling Little Blue Truck series, written by Alice Schertle. She happily divided her time between the wide landscape of New Mexico and a green island in Minnesota. Learn more about her life and work at JillMcElmurry.com.
From School Library Journal
K-Gr 2-Katherine Olivia Sessions was a real go-getter, becoming the first woman to graduate from the University of California with a science degree (1881) and transforming San Diego's City Park from a dry, ugly hillside into a lush garden flourishing beneath a beautiful canopy of trees. Motivated by the love she'd felt for trees since her childhood, Sessions researched species that would grow in arid weather and hilly terrain, and she asked gardeners around the world to send her seeds. She had left teaching to establish a nursery, and by the turn of the century, trees from that nursery were growing not only in City Park but all over San Diego. The park would be the site of the Panama-California Exposition in 1909, and Sessions wanted thousands of additional trees in place to make it even more spectacular. Multitudes volunteered, and the result was so lovely that the fair stayed open for two years instead of one. Hopkins writes in a light narrative style that makes this picture-book biography a great selection for a storytime with a nature-based theme, but it also contains good information for early report writers. The author utilizes variations of a positive, upbeat refrain-"but she did"-that kids will enjoy repeating. McElmurry's artwork undergirds Hopkins's writing with stylized beauty and a sense of joy. This is a wonderful tribute to a true champion of nature.-Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, ARα(c) Copyright 2013. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From Booklist
*Starred Review* A terrific jacket image shows a tiny girl in a towering forest as seen from above. Who is this girl? And why is she the tree lady? Well, turns out Katherine Olivia Sessions, who grew up in Northern California in the 1860s, always loved trees—she used to weave their leaves into necklaces and bracelets. Girls back then weren’t supposed to get their hands dirty, but Kate did. Girls were also discouraged from studying science, but Kate sure did, graduating from the University of California with a degree in science in 1881. Postgraduation, Kate moved to San Diego, a desert town with little greenery. She wrote to gardeners far and wide, seeking out seeds that would thrive in a harsh desert climate, and by the turn of the century, oaks, eucalypti, and palms sprung up throughout the city. But Kate’s biggest planting project would come in 1915 with the Panama-California Exposition, to be held in Balboa Park. Nobody thought that it would be possible to create a lush garden for the event . . . but guess who did? A little-known, can-do woman shines in this handsome picture book from Hopkins and McElmurry. Hopkins ably brings a woman’s passion—and some science—to a story that’s accessible for young children. And, oh the pictures! Both old-timey and lush, they evoke Kate’s vision perfectly, and individually labeled illustrations of trees add to the educational value. A lovely tribute to the pioneering (and environmentalist) spirit, topped off by an author’s note. Grades 1-3. --Ann Kelley --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
From the Author
H. Joseph Hopkins lives on a houseboat in Portland, Oregon. This is his first picture book.
Jill McElmurry has written and illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including Mario Makes a Move; Mad about Plaid; Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp; and the bestselling Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle. She lives on a farm in New Mexico. Visit her at JillMcElmurry.com. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Jill McElmurry has written and illustrated many acclaimed picture books, including Mario Makes a Move; Mad about Plaid; Who Stole Mona Lisa? by Ruthie Knapp; and the bestselling Little Blue Truck by Alice Schertle. She lives on a farm in New Mexico. Visit her at JillMcElmurry.com. --This text refers to an alternate kindle_edition edition.
Product details
- ASIN : B00BAWECHY
- Publisher : Beach Lane Books (September 17, 2013)
- Publication date : September 17, 2013
- Language : English
- File size : 5501 KB
- Text-to-Speech : Not enabled
- Enhanced typesetting : Not Enabled
- X-Ray : Not Enabled
- Word Wise : Not Enabled
- Sticky notes : Not Enabled
- Print length : 32 pages
- Best Sellers Rank: #925,931 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- Customer Reviews:
About the authors
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The first books I remember loving are "Harold and the Purple Crayon" by Crockett Johnson and "Animal Fair" by Alice and Martin Provensen. I also loved "Ferdinand" by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson and "What Do You Say, Dear?" by Sesyle Joslin and Maurice Sendak. Later on I loved "Homer Price and the Donut Machine", "Alice in Wonderland", "Grimm's Fairy Tales", and one about bread dough that keeps rising and rising, I wish I could remember the name of it.
I've lived in big towns and small towns, in mountains and valleys, beside the ocean and across the ocean, and now I live in Taos, New Mexico in a house with big windows that look out on mountains and sagebrush. My husband, our dog, Harry, and I take a lot of long walks in the desert.We spend the Summer in a tiny cabin on a tiny island in a big lake in northern Minnesota. We've named the island Good Dog Island in honor of all the good dogs we've known.
Find out more at jillmcelmurry.com
Customer reviews
4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
400 global ratings
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Top reviews
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 18, 2023
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Its a good book, my kid enjoyed it
Helpful
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 17, 2021
This book is a must for all kids growing up in San Diego. It tells the real life story of Kate Sessions, mother of Balboa Park. My 2 year old, who loves trees (and leaves and seeds and fruits…) adores this book and asks for it all the time. I love that it has both a female empowerment story (Sessions was apparently the first woman to graduate UC with a degree in science) and promoted a love of nature. I buy this as a gift for almost all of my friends who have kids.
I do have to agree to some extent with the commentators who expressed concerns about how the book promotes growing non-native species. That is a fair critique, but definitely a more advanced/nuanced conversation that the target age group (toddler) won’t grasp. I think it is still fine to inspire a love of nature and teach a little local history, and deal with the ecology and sustainability lessons when they get older.
I do have to agree to some extent with the commentators who expressed concerns about how the book promotes growing non-native species. That is a fair critique, but definitely a more advanced/nuanced conversation that the target age group (toddler) won’t grasp. I think it is still fine to inspire a love of nature and teach a little local history, and deal with the ecology and sustainability lessons when they get older.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 14, 2016
Do you know how San Diego got its trees? In the story "The Tree Lady," which is a biography written by H. Joseph Hopkins, we learn that we can do anything.
Katherine Olivia Sessions lived in the woods in Northern California. Girls from Kate's side of town didn't get their hands dirty, but Kate did. She was the only girl in science. Kate felt that trees were her friends. She also was the only girl to get her science degree. She left her hometown because she got a job in San Diego. She became a teacher for 2 years. Then she became a gardener. Kate started planting trees in the park. Will she plant enough trees?
My favorite part of the book is how on Kate's side of town girls weren't supposed to get their hands dirty, but Kate did. The author wrote this to tell us that we can do anything.
I recommend this book to others because it seems that if Kate can do it we can do it too. I like this book because it shows me that I can do anything.
"The Tree Lady" is a good fit book for people who like plants.
By: Lillie
Katherine Olivia Sessions lived in the woods in Northern California. Girls from Kate's side of town didn't get their hands dirty, but Kate did. She was the only girl in science. Kate felt that trees were her friends. She also was the only girl to get her science degree. She left her hometown because she got a job in San Diego. She became a teacher for 2 years. Then she became a gardener. Kate started planting trees in the park. Will she plant enough trees?
My favorite part of the book is how on Kate's side of town girls weren't supposed to get their hands dirty, but Kate did. The author wrote this to tell us that we can do anything.
I recommend this book to others because it seems that if Kate can do it we can do it too. I like this book because it shows me that I can do anything.
"The Tree Lady" is a good fit book for people who like plants.
By: Lillie
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 19, 2014
I love this book. But I cannot possibly be perceived as unbiased, since it was written by my father.
I love how it is a book about possibilities and about following your dreams even if those dreams are different than society's expectations of you. I love the illustrations, with historical details set just right.
The book took several years to come to fruition. It started as a student exercise in a writing seminar. And now, it's a fun and encouraging book about a woman who made her world a better place.
My dad encouraged me to enjoy reading (thanks, dad!) and I encourage you to enjoy reading this book.
But when I read it, I get a special experience. I hear my daddy reading it to me, in his special book voice. I wish I could share that with you all, because it makes me feel so good, so warm and secure, enchanted with the story as it unfolds. If your family gets some portion of that wonder, then, I think, my dad's hopes will have been fulfilled.
I love you, Dad!
I love how it is a book about possibilities and about following your dreams even if those dreams are different than society's expectations of you. I love the illustrations, with historical details set just right.
The book took several years to come to fruition. It started as a student exercise in a writing seminar. And now, it's a fun and encouraging book about a woman who made her world a better place.
My dad encouraged me to enjoy reading (thanks, dad!) and I encourage you to enjoy reading this book.
But when I read it, I get a special experience. I hear my daddy reading it to me, in his special book voice. I wish I could share that with you all, because it makes me feel so good, so warm and secure, enchanted with the story as it unfolds. If your family gets some portion of that wonder, then, I think, my dad's hopes will have been fulfilled.
I love you, Dad!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 13, 2022
This book tells the inspiring true story of Kate Sessions. She graduated as a scientist which was uncommon in those times. Then she became a teacher. Later, she transformed a dessert.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on July 28, 2015
Loved this book! The illustrations were delightful! The text is crisp and held the attention of my children ages 3 to 8. My oldest two children then went on to read it a few more times by themselves. We used this as a text for a unit on...yes, trees. There is SO much to pull from the book: science, history, geography, gardening, use of public spaces, as well as themes of determination and vision, goal setting, etc. After reading it, I pulled up photos of the garden in San Diego, as well as some before and after photos of the garden. We all found this part, the actual transformation displayed in historical photos, fascinating. This is a sweetly researched, planned, written and designed book. Kudos to the author and illustrator! Definitely a book to have in one's library.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on April 6, 2022
This is a true story. Inspirering!
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 18, 2017
Oh my goodness. This is the perfect story for my 5 year old grandniece. She is in love with the outdoors, notices everything in her environment,
especially the trees & flowers. We take 'hikes' regularly along a nearby river and forest encountering all the inhabitants including deer. She even helps tend to their yard and hugs their trees. She delights at how one woman (or a girl) can improve her surroundings or town, that this woman saw a need and took action to improve the community. An especially good book to read after the one we read about Jane Goodall's life. This little girl is a person of action. We so enjoy this book.
especially the trees & flowers. We take 'hikes' regularly along a nearby river and forest encountering all the inhabitants including deer. She even helps tend to their yard and hugs their trees. She delights at how one woman (or a girl) can improve her surroundings or town, that this woman saw a need and took action to improve the community. An especially good book to read after the one we read about Jane Goodall's life. This little girl is a person of action. We so enjoy this book.
Top reviews from other countries
MicT
5.0 out of 5 stars
A beautiful, beautiful book that our family loves
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on August 3, 2016
This book is beautiful and interesting and just wonderful, really! The illustrations are lovely and the story is well written, interesting and engaging. For any home educators, Five In a Row do a digital study unit you can get to use alongside this book which is really fab and comprehensive. That's how we found this book. It is a new family Classic in our home.
2 people found this helpful
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The Green Camel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 27, 2017
A true story. Lovely illustrations. Encourages social responsibility and the idea that even one person can make a difference.
Lana
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful toddler book
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on May 29, 2020
Beautiful inspirational story for 3-5 y.o. My almost 3 y.o wood lover is exited.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on February 18, 2017
Gorgeous book, inspiring story, more so because it's biographical.
Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful inside and out!
Reviewed in Canada 🇨🇦 on March 28, 2019
The most beautiful children's book I've ever seen. Both in the artistic pictures and the empowering words. Teaches girls they can do anything they set their hearts to! This book is inspiring and beautiful.
One person found this helpful
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