The Tree Welcomes Z: A Story about Learning with Nature

The Tree Welcomes Z: A Story about Learning with Nature

The colors on Z's planet are fading...fast! In our first adventure, Z lands on the wondrous and colorful planet Earth. Z is welcomed by a Wise Tree and other forest friends. In The Tree Welcomes Z we explore the color green and what it means to be connected to nature. Children will learn about curiosity, problem solving, regulation strategies, and resilience as Z models the first steps of a new exciting adventure. This heartfelt and fun-filled series entertains and empowers children, caregivers, families, and educators. Join Z and friends as they explore nature, learning important lessons about themselves, each other and the world around them as we work together to bring color back to Z's planet. Our young storybook characters model a nature-based, play-based learning approach for supporting children's social emotional development and well-being. Each story is followed by child-centered activities that reinforce learning themes. Each story's theme and corresponding color are taken from Empathy in Nature's learning framework. Z (and readers!) collect colors with each new lesson on Earth until Z is ready to bring the colors back home. We welcome you to learn and play, we'll do our best to guide your way! Join Z on a colorful adventure! The feelings, friendships, and wonders of nature that make earth colorful hold the clues to saving Z's planet! Angie Giovannini founded the non-profit Empathy in Nature to bring nature-play based SEL to young learners, fostering emotional growth and resilience through the wonders of the natural world. As a part of this mission, her and a team of child development experts are creating social and emotional, nature-based storybooks for young children. For nearly a decade, Angie was instrumental in integrating a transformative social and emotional learning (SEL) program that profoundly influenced her perspective. This program's success, particularly in educational settings, inspired Angie to pivot towards a new mission: making SEL accessible to all children, especially those in under-resourced communities. The foundation of Empathy in Nature is based on the remarkable experiences of educators who witnessed significant positive changes in their classrooms. Angie and her team’s unique blend of academic excellence, professional experience, and passion for social and emotional development positions them as a leading voice in children's literature. Angie has brought together educators, parents, and leading experts in the field to create storybooks that tap into the ground-breaking research and hands-on experience in early childhood education. Her storybooks not only entertain but also empower young minds, nurturing empathy, self-awareness, and a deep connection to nature and self. Erica J. Chen is a Chinese-American illustrator based in California and Nova Scotia. She enjoys creating whimsical illustrations, and has a soft spot for drawing chubby-cheeked children and awkward animals. A third culture kid, Erica is interested in stories that promote inclusivity and understanding. When she is not drawing, Erica can be found reading mysteries, raising caterpillars, and adding to her growing list of "Cute Animals to Encounter".