Jessie Klassen

Growing up isn't always easy. With all of the challenges in today's fast-paced world, including artificial stimulations, distractions, and high levels of competition, children and their families are often left feeling stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed. Nature is here to help.  With health issues on the rise, it has never been more important to connect with the healing influence of Nature to restore calm, inner balance, and harmony within our lives. "The Sapling" is a heartwarming and inspiring story from the trees that includes an easy-to-follow guide book sharing exactly how to connect with Nature and positively affect the lives of you and your children.  Find yourself more patient and seeing the world with new eyes.  Watch with joy as your child blossoms into a brighter, happier, healthier version of themselves while discovering the powerful healing abilities that are within Nature and every one of us. The story portion is about a tiny Maple Seed that happens to land beside a great big Maple Tree.  She is very excited when she begins to grow into a Sapling until one day when a frightening thunderstorm breaks off one of the Big Tree's branches.  The Sapling becomes so scared that she decides to stop growing and stay low to the ground, just like the grass.  But with the wise advice from the Big Tree, the Sapling learns how everything happens for a reason and that she has a very important purpose.  By embracing who she is, the Sapling overcomes her fears and grows into the Tree she is meant to be. With profound, easy to grasp lessons from the Trees, such as, "if we want to feel the sunshine, sometimes we have to feel the storm" and "a new adventure is always waiting for us if we are brave enough to grow and become more than we think we are", and 24 vivid, full-colour, hand-drawn illustrations of trees, landscapes, and wildlife by the talented Emily Macdonald, "The Sapling" is a timeless story that will appeal to children (and adults) of all ages. The guide-book that follows includes dozens of Nature-based activities, mindfulness and energy exercises, daily practices and tips to promote inner balance, calm, self-confidence, awareness, growth, fitness, an appreciation of life, and an overall sense of well-being and vitality.  With clear instructions and full-colour picture demonstrations portrayed by Jessie's own children, Jessie has taken all of the wisdom, lessons, and experiences from her life lived close to Nature and shared it in a practical way that will suit any family. Some of the exercises include "Be a Tree" grounding exercise to feel stable and calm, "Breathe like a Tree" rejuvenating and healing exercise, and "Talk to the Trees", an exercise to promote communication with Nature on a deeper level.  Beneficial for all children, but especially those who may have experienced trauma or are having attention or behavioural issues (as well as for the inner child that still lives within all adults). "The Sapling" is 82 pages of knowledge, wonder, and magic that will permanently transform the lives of all it touches. Allow "The Sapling" to empower your entire family to be true to who they are and grow into who they are meant to become, just like a Tree. A portion of sales from every book will be donated to the Nature Conservancy of Canada and the Treesisters for conservation and reforestation of our beautiful Earth.