Art inspired by the Wisdom found in Nature
Welcome to evelyndeanarts!
"I read, "My Earth Journey," by Evelyn Dean, and then read it again and again. The messages contained in her gorgeously illustrated book are as ancient and wise as the Earth that surrounds us. The young girl's dream odyssey--with playful otters, a visionary hawk and a nourishing hare--restores her spirits and mends her wounded heart. The young reader experiences room to dream in this book, and room to let the imagination soar. An added treasure is the information about plant and animal medicine contained in the back. I cannot think of a better story to inspire children today." -- Jennifer Elwell Comeau, Certified Forest Therapy Guide and Author of, "The Inside of ME."
The book's back cover states - when heartbreak strikes, magic awakens, this is a simple one-liner that's befitting for the story that lies within. My Earth Journey, written and illustrated by Evelyn Dean opens with our protagonist, a young school girl heartbroken with her BFF spurning her for another one, refusing to take a beautiful necklace made for her. In tears, our protagonist rests against a big tree in the rock garden at the edge of her school yard. Slowly, she is swept into an imaginary world in dreams where otters have fun and frolic with her under water, a hawk takes her on her back, flies high and shows her how big and wide the world is that many things we assume are huge are actually insignificant and small. After her excursions underwater with otters and in the sky with the hawk, she is guided into woods filled with trees, flowers and fruits by a hare. Wild strawberries, lavender and dandelion enliven the spirit of our heartbroken protagonist and very soon she barely cares for a BFF lost. Waking up into reality, back at the yard in school, she is nudged to join along for playing by another girl she knows little about. The book ends with a positive note of how the world is too big to be devoid of hope and good things and little hurt and heartbreak are definitely not the end of the road or our way in this wide world.
A lovely book with gorgeous illustrations and good amount of text, this one stands out specifically for the end notes. The rose flowers, dandelions , lavender, mugwort leaves, violets and Valerian flowers are all there in the story for reasons. The author describes their healing and medicinal properties. The animals top chosen to propel the story forward , the otters, hare and hawk have significance and are suited to the premise of the story. This careful thought by the author is what singularly elevated the reading experience for me.
Loved this book, though the theme and treatment is commonplace, the reasons behind the treatment are unique.https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/166384414-divya-shankar
Released this summer 2025!
Contact me if you would like to review my book!
My Earth Journey was written to help children with the age old struggle
of losing a friend.
The main character embarks on a journey
guided by powerful nature beings,
who bring her healing.
With nature as the teacher, children can find much needed tools to help them navigate through difficulty.
"Your book has a fairy tale quality and the illustrations are lovely, taking us along with the protagonist on her Earth journey. The issue of fickleness in friendships is one that can resonate with many of us, young and old. I love how you use your main character's dream to bring in the spirit animals which show her other perspectives. Dreams can be our teachers, helping us to solve the conundrums we find ourselves facing in life, if we stay open to them. Your book illustrates that concept beautifully, with all of her animal friends showing her that their worlds--her world--is filled with the beauty, magic, and abundance of nature."Former Art Teacher, Robin Ellen Brooks
"I love this! The story is heartwarming and mystical, and the lovely, authentic artwork evokes the healing elements of nature. I love the accurate yet magical paintings of the plants and animals.
Cathy Schillinger (education specialist)
"This healed a part of my heart. The illustrations are exquisite. I wish I had this story to read when I was in elementary school." Shri A.Verrill, Principal at Sunrise Ecological
This was a really sweet, uplifting little story full of daydreams. The protagonist finds herself transported from the disappointments of fair-weather friends at school to the kind, playfulness of animals who bring her on a journey through the natural world. It’s almost reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland except the animals aren’t fantastical or speak, they’re simply taking her through their homes and daily routines in the rivers, forests and sky. But there is something very gentle and lovely about the whole thing.
I also really appreciated the guide at the back of the book that gave detailed information on the uses and benefits of various plants, as well as the meanings and beliefs associated with the presence and arrival of different animals into our lives. Very informative and interesting!
This is a great little book for young kids learning to navigate friendships and disappointments, but also interesting for adults who want to learn more about wildlife. Definitely worth checking out!
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