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“Kemp’s pensive, elegiac tale unpacks the hard-earned minutiae of a farming family’s everyday lives, as well as the encroaching consequences of human-fueled climate change, told from a young girl’s compelling, vivid perspective….Tender, expressive, and important.”

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Laekan Zea Kemp tells a tenderhearted story that depicts the hardships of tending a drought-stricken land yet maintains hope.”

—Shelf Awareness, Starred Review

“A book that motivates young readers to learn more about tending the land, growing food, and the impact of human overdevelopment on the environment.”

—School Library Journal

Dream for the Land

Written by Laekan Zea Kemp
Illustrated by Leo Espinosa
Published by Anne Schwartz Books

When a girl finds a horned toad among the rain-starved squash, tomatoes, and poblanos on her family’s Texas farm, her Pa tells her that, if she kisses it on the head — blech! — she gets to make one wish. What will she wish for?

Generations ago, when the girl’s ancestors lived on this land, it was lush and green — full of life. Now, because of a decades-long drought, their soil is parched and their crops are dying.

The girl sees the worry lines on Pa’s face getting deeper. She knows she has to do something to help. And so, thinking about the people who lived on this land before her, and all those who will live on it after her, she wishes for rain.

This poignant father-daughter story reminds us that, when it comes to healing our Earth, change often starts with a simple wish. With a dream for a world that could be.

Look for the Spanish version, Tierra Soñada.

Primary ISBN: 9780593710302
Publication Date: May 2025
Available As: Hardcover, Audiobook, eBook
Picture Book, Age 04 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: United States (Texas)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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