Such a beautiful book! The artworks are too beautiful to look at. The storyline teaches wonderful lessons and provides a few botanical insights for us to learn.

It's a good book for kids, even teenagers, to learn about friendship and life, with plenty of lessons it provides. And that disappointment comes all the time, give it a rest a little bit to ease the mind, and surrounding oneself with nature can sometimes be the best remedy for heartbreak or even to soothe the heart. As we all know, connecting with nature and the earth always provides us with the best healing. Another lesson is you might lose something, but then, you'll also gain something in return, and that not everything can be forced especially the bonds between two people. You just need to learn not to tie your heart to one person and open up to another.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing access to this book. It is a joy to be able to read it.

I received a copy of this eBook from netGalley for a honest review.

I think this book is beautifully illustrated and has a good message but I couldn't really follow the story.

BLUF: Earth loving, grounding story but perhaps a little long winded

Overall: 3 ⭐
Plot/Lesson:° 3📍
Illustrations: 3🖌️
Reread Requests: 0

Suggested Ages:
Read To: y/o
Read By: 4th grade and under, Adults

Mom's Review:
I'm on the fence with this one - it's geared towards grade-school/elementary audiences, but I don't know who well it will be received. The illustrations were interesting; they reminded me of when folks try to create intricate 'drawings' in clay. However, they conveyed the story well. The story itself... All but two of the pages (of roughly 25-30 pages) was avoidance. I loved that the girl turned to nature but even her actions skipping from one animal to the next,

“A's” Review:
"It was ok." (Didn't really have any opinions on this one. Didn't hold her attention well.)

“C's Review:
Why did she run away when she was sad? I loved all the different animals.

Dad's Review:
Not the biggest fan of this one - I don't think this was the author's intention, however, it seemed like the moral of the story was (mostly) "run away into the woods from your problems." Yes, the end of the book brought in the concept of spirit animals and using those to find solace or strength in challenging situations,. But most kids aren't going to sit down and discuss the "OBTW" section and most parents aren't going to have the bandwidth to have a deep discussion like that right before bedtime.

Thank you to Evelyn Dean, 12 Willows Press, & NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!
All opinions are our own.

NOTES:
° = Our Plot/Lesson rating is how well the kiddos picked up on the morals/lessons learned or well received the facts were.
^ = A, reads at 2-3rd grade level, voracious reader
* = C, knows her letters, but memorizes stories well!

This book shows us that althought it seems like that we are never alone.
The illustrations are not my favorite but the story was meaningful.

This story addresses the issues an unfortunately uncommon experience for tween girls: exclusiveness and tribal behavior. The main character, after her former best friend relinquishes her "BFF" necklace and runs off with another girl, finds strength inside herself during a dream where she connects with animals and nature.
I think it's a valuable story for any girl 8-12 to read. It's reminiscent of Native American folklore and Alice and Wonderland, while teaching a good message.

This was a sweet story that felt like a hug and a beautiful reminder of the way we are all connected. The illustrations were lush and felt reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland I think the language and number of words per page lend more to older elementary age readers, but those of all ages could enjoy. Navigating friendships is hard and this could be a great way to start a conversation with children navigating some of those woes.

I read this book out loud with my nieces. They really enjoyed the illustrations and colors, and they especially liked that it looked like "real art" (paintings) instead of comics or cartoons. I think some of the paragraphs would have been too long for them to comfortably read themselves, but the story was very sweet and had a great message to it.

This book not only has beautiful illustrations but my kids and I thoroughly enjoyed the story and how nature and animals helped the character be brave and make new friends. Overall a lovely story!

Lovely book about how nature can provide healing and a sense of community when we face hard times. I especially liked how the character in the book learned that we are never truly alone.

The author is an herbalist, and this makes the story even richer, as the plants and animals featured have medicinal or healing properties. In My Earth Journey, the protagonist encounters feelings that could overwhelm her, but she chooses to follow her feelings through a river and through the wilderness. The illustrations reminded me of an etched mural, and the story was very lyrical. I love the idea of using this and gardens as an SEL lesson. As a gardener I do battle with the rabbits, but this story reminded me that we all are part of nature.

I recommend this book for schools and libraries.

What a whimsical tale of a young girl who emotionally regulates after a heartbreaking end of her relationship with her best friend by grounding herself in nature and imaging an escape with the animals that surround her. The ending was really beautiful and show that relationships can evolve and new ones can be made.

The story was interesting. However, there were some typos that took me a bit out of the story. The text style also wasn’t consistent, which could be distracting for some readers. Otherwise, I enjoyed the plot of the story.

Thanks so much to NetGalley for the free Kindle book. My review is voluntarily given, and my opinions are my own.

I really don't know what to think about this book. It kind of has an Alice in Wonderland vibe where you don't know if she actually had those experiences or if it was all just a dream . I just can't decide how I feel about the book. Do love the illustrations.

A beautiful book with a lovely message for kids about healing and finding happiness through nature. We loved it!

This book was like a warm hug for my inner child. 💔🌿

My Earth Journey is a gentle, beautifully illustrated story that shows kids how healing can come from nature, animals, and quiet moments of reflection. It brought back such a vivid memory for me.. when I was little, I gave a girl a “best friends forever” bracelet, and she threw it away. I was devastated. I think if I’d had a book like this back then, I would’ve felt seen… and maybe even hopeful that friendship, love, and connection could be found in other places, too.

The emotional journey through lavender fields and otter-guided dreamscapes was both magical and comforting. It’s a tender reminder that healing isn’t just possible it’s beautiful.

Perfect for kids who need a little light after a storm. 🌸🦦🪻

Although the story felt a little simple, the message and the art are cute and honest. We should connect to nature more often.

'I would never be alone as long as there were forests.'

This was a really sweet, uplifting little story full of daydreams and escapism. 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!

I really wanted to love this story. I love the idea behind it, and I loved the illustrations. However, this story spent a lot of time explaining the girl’s adventure, instead of showing us. For example. Instead of telling us the hare was so smart, why not have the hare tell more stories of nature? This book has a lot of potential, but I’d like to see the story fleshed out a bit more.

This gorgeous picture book is full of wisdom. What do you do when a friendship breaks?

You find strength in the world of nature. New friendships can be raised up.

The messages blended with emotion language makes this a great tool for discussing the complexities of friendship. I found myself reflecting on my own friendship experiences as well.

This book is a touch too wordy for the target audience. Most children who enjoy picture books are going to lose interest. The illustrations are stunning, though.

Please read if you also enjoy nature walks, Alice in Wonderland, or ever had someone return your friendship necklace.

Thank you to NetGalley for my copy of this ebook.

This is a gorgeously illustrated children's book about healing from the grief of losing a dear friend - not by death but by choice. The heroine uses the besuty of nature to heal her heart and empower herself to find her worth again. Deep emotions are presented in such a beautiful way.