Listening to the Land This Earth Day
Earth Day invites us to pause and notice—our habits, our surroundings, and the natural world that supports us. It’s a day that often focuses on action, but it's also a day for attention. Before we protect something, we must see it clearly.
The Stars Are Always There emerged from that belief.
The story follows twelve‑year‑old Jess Lindsey during a summer on her great‑grandfather’s ranch on the Texas Panhandle. As drought deepens and tensions rise over water use, Jess notices small but meaningful changes: animals behaving differently, the prairie growing quieter, the land feeling strained. What begins as observation slowly grows into an urgent sense of responsibility.
I didn’t set out to write a book about environmental policy or water management. I wanted to write a story about listening—about how awareness grows, and about how courage sometimes starts quietly. For Jess, paying attention to the land becomes inseparable from knowing how and when to speak up.
Earth Day feels especially suited to stories like this because storytelling helps young readers internalize ideas that statistics don’t convey. Through Jess’s perspective, readers explore questions of stewardship, community, and care in ways that feel personal rather than abstract.
Many children—especially those who are quiet or observant—carry deep sensitivity to the world around them. I was one of those children. Stories can affirm that sensitivity, showing that it is not weakness but strength. Jess’s journey reflects that truth: she learns that noticing, caring, and choosing courage are connected acts.
As conversations about water use, land preservation, and environmental responsibility continue beyond Earth Day, I hope The Stars Are Always There can serve as a gentle starting point—for families, classrooms, and libraries—to talk about what it means to listen to the places we inhabit.
Earth Day reminds us that care begins with attention. Stories remind us why that attention matters.