Tree Trek: A Daughter's Walk Through Grief

by Stephanie Mirocha

Overview

These intimate portraits of trees are a balm that heals grief.

In this memoir, Stephanie Mirocha weaves a blend of botany, philosophy, personal reflections, and healing through nature from grief after the loss of her father. Trees provide the backdrop of friendly support she clings to as she revives her father’s educational Tree Trek. She “speaks for the trees,” bringing enthusiasm to the treks she leads. Each chapter focuses on the science of a different tree, connecting the reader with the beauty of nature, and the vitality that comes from listening to the guiding wisdom of one’s inner voice.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781666406931
Publisher:	Holy Cow! Press
Publication date:	05/20/2025
Pages:	132
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Stephanie Mirocha grew up climbing trees and exploring Saint Paul's Como Park across from her childhood home. She has illustrated four children’s picture books connecting children to nature. Frog in the House won the 2016 Giverny Award for a science picture book in English, and My Little Book of Bald Eagles won 1st place, Juvenile Nonfiction, in the 2010 Next Gen Indie Book Awards. She graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BA in Philosophy and lives in Aitkin, Minnesota.

Editorial Reviews

"Tree Trek is an intensely personal story of one woman's exploration of trees and family grief. Tapping into a lifetime of experience with nature, Ms. Mirocha successfully blends scientific knowledge with personal discovery. Through her narrative the healing power of trees is revealed. We learn that trees are good listeners, but they don’t say much. Using an engaging writing style, Ms. Mirocha speaks for the trees and for all of us who have dealt with grief."—Welby Smith, author of Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota

"For all of us who long to be reminded of the power of nature to heal, Stephanie Mirocha's poignant memoir is a welcome blessing. More than simply a soothing walk in a park, more than an affectionate, enlightening meditation on the nature and character of Earth's most enduring plants, more than a master naturalist's journey through grief, Tree Trek is a touching, tender testament to the everlasting love between a father and daughter. I heartily recommend this beautiful book to all of us who seek to be moved by an inspiring story of familial love and to all of us who seek restoration in nature."—Andrea Gilats, author of After Effects: A Memoir of Complicated Grief and Radical Endurance: Growing Old in an Age of Longevity

"It is a rare pleasure to go for a walk among the trees with someone who clearly knows and loves them as much as I do. There is a wealth of scientific and botanical knowledge here (Linnaeus would be proud!) but much more than that, we find also a true depth of feeling and understanding. 'Each tree,' writes Stephanie Mirocha, 'is a world unto itself.' And so it is. But there is a dimension—a near mystical connection, perhaps—where the world of the tree touches and reflects the inner world of the human being. Someone who is hurting, perhaps. In need of guidance. Of comfort or inspiration. It is of that world—that connection—that Stephanie writes so beautifully. She says that in getting to know the trees, she has also found herself. I suspect that may be the case for any reader who treks among the trees with her."—Douglas Wood, author of Old Turtle, Deep Woods, Wild Waters, A Wild Path

From the Publisher