Thrive Where You’re Planted:
A Guided Journal to Help You Connect with the Natural Wonders in Your Neighborhood

By Andrea Debbink
Published Quirk Books

Find peace through this meditative guided journal that will train you to notice and appreciate the wonder of the natural world—without leaving your own neighborhood.

Everyone knows that being in nature can help you feel less anxious, more centered, and at peace. The sound of a waterfall, a swaying green canopy, a distant horizon—all of these things slow your heart rate, open your lungs, and calm your mind. But what if—like most North Americans—you live in a suburb or a city and can't go into the great outdoors every day?

Naturalist Andrea Debbink will show you that nature is all around you, even in the densest metropolis and will teach you how to find wildness in a city sparrow, beauty in a roadside dandelion, and stillness on a park bench.

Organized by month, this guided journal encourages you to center yourself in the cycle of the seasons through:

• Nature-inspired meditation exercises

• Outdoor activities and crafts

• Flora and fauna trackers

• Weather charts

• Urban foraging tips

This hardcover journal is perfect for throwing in a backpack and taking to the park, featuring a rounded spine for easy writing, a fabric bookmark to keep your place, and a full-color illustrated design that changes with the seasons.

If the Rivers Run Free
by Andrea Debbink, illustrated by Nicole Wong
Published by Sleeping Bear Press

While rivers make up just a fraction of the water on Earth, they provide the majority of what we use every day. Rivers run over and through our world, and sometimes we don't even know they are there. But do we fully understand or even appreciate all that rivers can do?

All over the world, cities large and small were built near rivers because of what they can provide: drinking water, transportation, power sources. But over the centuries as cities grew, the rivers became polluted by sewage and industrial waste, and their natural flow patterns were disrupted. Disease and flooding were often the result. In a short-sighted attempt to address these issues, city planners buried old rivers beneath city streets. But this solution brought more problems. Finally, a group of naturalists realized that freeing buried rivers could be the answer to managing urban waterways.

In rhyming text, the fascinating story of "daylighting," unearthing and restoring buried rivers to their rightful places as source of well-being and beauty, comes to life.

Available now from Sleeping Bear Press or use the links below.

The Wild World Handbook Series

A hope-filled series about environmental stewardship and nature exploration for middle-grade readers from Quirk Books.

“An entertaining and educational book for environmentally conscious nature lovers that will inspire action.”
—Booklist

“A strong choice to inspire young changemakers for our planet.”
—School Library Journal

American Girl

“With food science insights, stories and 30-plus recipes in this cookbook, author Andrea Debbink proves cooking can be fun and educational.”
—Madison Magazine

“Readers are given the tools to critically analyze what they read, and to debate ideas fairly and with respect for those who don’t share their ideologies…A great tool for young readers who take information found online at face value.”

—School Library Journal, “Think for Yourself” review

Field Guides for Kids Series

“Titles in the Field Guides for Kids series are excellent resources for young scientists and researchers interested in the world around them…Eye-catching and interesting, this series will get kids exploring.”
—Booklist

Published by ABDO Reference

Trees

Birds of Prey

Flowers and Plants