AVAILABLE NOW!
Jack and Lulu Go To The Tree Farm
By Julie Ryan McGue (and Illustrated by Mariia Stepanova)
RELEASE DATE: Sept. 16, 2025
Published by Muse Literary
Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm is a lyrical and heartfelt tale about a boy named Jack who visits Weatherwood Walnut Farm. His great-grandfather once dreamed of planting a walnut farm as a gift for future generations—a dream carried forward by his family. Now, Jack has the chance to choose a tree of his own.
When he discovers a small oak standing proud among the saplings, Jack feels an instant connection. With a tiny surprise nestled in its branches and the weight of a legacy that takes root in him, Jack learns that family love can grow and endure like the strongest of trees.
Perfect for readers who cherish Miss Rumphius and The Giving Tree, this story celebrates growth, remembrance, and belonging across family seasons.
Upcoming Events & Special Announcements
Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm is a #1 Amazon Bestselling Children’s Book!
We are thrilled to announce that Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm has been named a Winner in the Readers’ Choice Book Awards (Age 3-7 category) and received a prestigious 5-Star Review. Thank you for helping this story of family and legacy grow!
Winner in Children Books, Nature category
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Julie Ryan McGue is a writer, grandmother, and lifelong tree enthusiast. An identical twin and domestic adoptee, Julie has written several adult nonfiction works, including Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging, Belonging Matters: Conversations on Adoption, Family, and Kinship, and Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood.
Inspired by her own family’s real-life tree farm, Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm is her first picture book for children. Julie splits her time between northwest Indiana and Sarasota, Florida, and delights in adventures with her seven grandsons.
From Family Stories to Children’s Tales: A Writer’s Journey
How family, trees, and imagination inspired my first children’s series.
For years, my writing has been a journey through family, identity, and belonging. From my first memoir, Twice a Daughter: A Search for Identity, Family, and Belonging, to my recent Twice the Family: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and Sisterhood, I’ve explored the threads that tie us together, the joys and challenges of kinship, and the ways love can transcend distance, circumstance, and even loss. Writing about these personal stories has always been about connection and belonging—reaching readers who see pieces of their own lives reflected in mine.
Yet recently, a different kind of story called to me—one that needed to be told not in the pages of memoir, but in color, playfulness, and wonder. That story came from my grandson. Doesn’t everyone have a favorite tree? For me, that connection to trees has been a constant through my life—the Ginko that bordered my childhood home, the elms that arched over our street, and the oak that stands like a sentinel on the hill at my lakehouse.
When my grandsons began picking out trees at our family tree farm, Weatherwood Walnut Farm,I watched as they claimed their own—a small oak here, a pine there—hugging it, naming it, calling it theirs. In that simple act, I saw a living connection to family, legacy, and love.
One of those memorable days became a column for my byline at The Beacher Newspapers, and readers’ responses made it clear the story had roots worth growing. That’s how my children’s book debut Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm was born. The story is based on a real moment at Weatherwood Walnut Farm, land my husband purchased to honor his father’s dream of planting trees for future generations. Watching my grandson Jack claim “his” oak tree—complete with a hidden bird’s nest—and marvel at the tiny miracle it held, I felt the magic of legacy and imagination intertwining.
Writing for children has been a new adventure for me. After years of memoirs and essays, I discovered that picture books allow a different kind of storytelling—one that is playful, vibrant, and deeply meaningful. Collaborating with illustrator Mariia Stepanova to bring Jack and Lulu’s world to life has been electrifying, and the stories my family continues to offer ensure that this is only the beginning. Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm launches a new series, Let’s Go with Lulu, filled with adventures inspired by real moments, love, and the wonder of the world around us.
At its heart, this book is about trees, family, and the ways dreams manifest across generations. But it’s also about awe—the quiet, profound kind that blooms when a child discovers the magic in a tree, a bird’s nest, or the legacy of a dream that began long before their time. Writing this book was important because it allows me to carry forward my family stories in a form that children can touch, read, and experience. It’s a way to plant seeds of wonder, connection, and remembrance in the next generation.
Doesn’t everyone have a favorite tree? I hope you’ll share Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm with the children in your life, and perhaps, find a tree that will grow with you, just as Jack’s oak grows with him.
An Interview with Julie Ryan McGue About
Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm
What inspired you to write Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm?
The inspiration came from my grandsons visiting our family tree farm. Watching them pick out a tree to call their own—hugging them and claiming them as “their” tree to follow throughout their lives—made me realize how trees carry family stories forward. One of these visits became a column for my byline at The Beacher Newspapers, my local paper, which won several awards. That experience planted the seed for a children’s book.
How much of the story is based on real life?
The story is very much rooted in reality. My grandson Jack actually picked out an oak tree at Weatherwood Walnut Farm, a property my husband purchased to honor his father’s dream of planting trees for future generations. Jack discovered a bird’s nest in its branches, and that magical moment—his excitement, curiosity, and sense of wonder—inspired the heart of the book.
Why trees? What makes them so special in your writing?
Trees have always been deeply meaningful to me. They root us in place and time, witness family milestones, and carry our stories across generations. For children, a tree can be a source of magic, discovery, and imagination. For adults, they remind us of legacy and love. Jack and Lulu captures both those perspectives.
You’ve written memoirs and essays before. How was writing a children’s book different?
Writing for children was a new adventure. It’s playful, colorful, and requires a different kind of storytelling—one that conveys emotion and wonder in a concise, lyrical way. Collaborating with illustrator Mariia Stepanova brought the story to life visually, and that experience has been electrifying. It’s a joyful contrast to the introspection of memoir writing.
Can you tell us about the “Let’s Go with Lulu” series?
Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm is the first book in the Let’s Go with Lulu series. The series will feature adventures inspired by each my seven grandsons, exploring themes like family, curiosity, love, and wonder. Each book will highlight everyday moments that can feel magical when viewed through a child’s eyes.
How do your family experiences influence your writing?
My family is central to my work. I have four children and seven grandsons, and their energy and perspectives constantly provide story ideas. My writing often celebrates family connections, legacies, and the small moments that carry deep meaning. In this book, the connection between generations, nature, and discovery was a natural fit.
What do you hope children and parents take away from the story?
I hope readers come away with a sense of wonder and connection—to their families, to nature, and to the stories that grow and get passed on generationally. I also hope my audience will reflect on their own “favorite tree” moments and see how ordinary days can hold extraordinary magic.
How did Weatherwood Walnut Farm influence the story?
The farm itself is a legacy project started by my husband to honor his father’s dream of planting trees for future generations. The acres of saplings, the care that went into planting them, and the sense of continuity across generations all informed the setting and spirit of the story. It’s a real place with real meaning, and that authenticity shines through in the book.
What was your favorite part of creating this book?
Watching the story come alive with illustrations. Seeing Mariia Stepanova bring Jack, Lulu, and the farm to life added depth, humor, and magic to the story. Personally, reliving Jack’s joyful discovery of his tree and the little bird’s nest brought tears and reminded me why these family stories are worth sharing.
Where can readers find Jack and Lulu Go to the Tree Farm?
The book is available wherever books are sold. It’s the perfect read for families who want to share stories of legacy, love, and the magic of discovering “your” tree.
