"The journey of a lifetime starts with the turning of a page."
- Rachel Anders
The Book
The Story
When the ladybug opens his eyes for the first time, he experiences fear... then he meets the Great tree.
The Great Tree keeps him safe while he explores the world around him and helps him to overcome his fears.
When the ladybug yearns to fly, the Great Tree guides him on a journey towards courage and empowerment.
Will the ladybug find his courage, trust in himself and FLY?
This soul-touching story will encourage readers of all ages to fulfill their dreams by facing their fears and believing in themselves.
Illustrations
All illustrations were hand painted with watercolors by Joanne Scotto-Lavino.
To see more of Joanne's creations, check out Watercolor by Joanne on Facebook!
The Story Behind the Story
The Great Tree and the Ladybug (originally titled, The Mimosa and the Ladybug) was inspired by a real-life mimosa tree. A lover of plants, flowers and trees, author Lynda-Grace McDonald wrote this story in honor of her favorite tree. While living in North Carolina, Lyn planted her first mimosa tree after growing it from a small seed. Watching it thrive in a pot in her kitchen, Lyn waited until it was big and strong enough to live outside. When that time came, her dad helped her to plant it in the back of her beautiful garden.
In honor of her first mimosa tree, Lyn planted a second tree with her dad at his new house in Delaware
One November, when the tree had shed all its leaves in anticipation of the upcoming winter, Lyn watched as a single ladybug made its ascent up the trunk. In that moment, she was inspired to write, and The Great Tree and the Ladybug was born. By the time she left North Carolina, that tiny seed had become a tree that exceeded her own height.
It was 10 years before Lyn found the courage to have this story published. Though the world wasn't yet able to benefit from her words, they served as motivation for facing her own fears.
To read about her journey with turning this story into her first self-published book, check out her blog post: "The Birth of a Book."
