A young woman in 1883 had a vision—a green, leafy vision.
She had a passion for trees and she made a difference.
“Kate felt the trees were her friends. She loved the way they reached toward the sky and how their branches stretched wide to catch the light.”
Kate Olivia Sessions grew up in the 1860s and even though girls were discouraged from studying sciences, she graduated from the University of California with a science degree in 1881.
Most people in San Diego didn’t think trees could ever grow in a desert town, but Kate did. She had the guts and courage to go against the norm and found trees from all over the world that could grow in hot, dry weather. She became a gardener and grew and planted hundreds of trees and plants to transform San Diego’s City Park (with the help of friends and volunteers) and much of San Diego into a lush, green oasis.
I love hearing about inspiring women as they remind us all that we can impact the world and follow our dreams. The illustrations are beautiful and made me want to lay on the forest floor, surrounded by trees, like young Kate on the cover art.
Learning about the remarkable achievements of an ordinary person like Kate Sessions who transformed an entire city over many years, will inspire kids to persevere with their own passions and make a difference in the world.
It may even make you want to plant a tree!
Helps with: environmentalism, feminism, trailblazing, inspiring change, following your dreams, volunteering for a cause, celebrating nature, making a greener world, and climate change.
Author: H. Joseph Hopkins
Publisher: Beach Lane Books, 2013