Amazon #1 Best Seller!!
in Children’s Diversity & Multicultural
Meet Wizzy!
The oldest, wisest, COOLEST tree!
Wizzy isn't like the other trees on the block. Her branches are magical with stories, rooted from long, long ago.
When the curious girl notices that her friends look different, eat different foods, and celebrate different things, she doesn't know what to make of it. So she turns to Wizzy for an answer.
Instead of an explanation, Wizzy offers an invitation to listen. One by one, the stories unfold, each rooted in shared land, each one making her feel more connected to friends she already knew. By the last rustling leaf, she sees her friends, and herself, as parts of one tree, not different branches.
Most diversity education starts with a single lesson: everyone is different, and difference should be celebrated. Wizzy the Worldly Tree is the lesson before that one: we are all interconnected, rooted in shared stories of the land.
Wizzy is a beginning - a first invitation to wonder about the world and the people in it.
Written as a read-aloud picture book for ages 4-8 and up, Wizzy the Worldly Tree pairs rhythmic text with Maria Rein's whimsical illustrations.
Get the Kindle and paperback version now!
Hardcover coming soon!
The Book
It started with a true story…
My 5-year old daughter asked a coworker where she was from.
“Here!” my coworker said.
“Cool — you're Native American,” replied my daughter, without skipping a beat.
My coworker said no, and then told her story: her grandparents came from Europe, first settling on the east coast of the US, and eventually the west.
She later came to tell me, “Jalpa, what a beautiful way to view our world—we ALL have a story.”
That's the lesson I've been teaching ever since — in my classes, in my workshops, and now in Wizzy the Worldly Tree.: everyone has a family story.
I wrote this book to give parents and educators the language to start conversations about culture with joy — and a gentle reminder that everyone belongs.
Everyone has a story.
Everyone belongs.
Advanced Praise
Wizzy in the Media
Nationally Distributed Via:
Wizzy's Toolkit
Recess, Reimagined
Turn recess into a joyful cultural learning moment — no big budget required. This step-by-step guide shows PTA volunteers and staff exactly how to organize a celebration, from finding a coordinator to welcoming the whole community.
Bring Wizzy to Class
Bring Wizzy into your classroom with this ready-to-teach lesson plan. Students read, reflect, and add their own leaf to a class "Wizzy tree" — complete with discussion questions and teacher tips every step of the way.
Wizzy's Words
The world is full of beautiful words — and Wizzy collected them all. From Ba-Dadaji to Tongva, this glossary defines key words across food, family, and tradition, with pronunciations included.
Color Your Story
A coloring page straight from Wizzy's world. Color in speech bubbles full of real traditions — tamales, kimonos, tabla music, and more — and add your own story to the mix.
About Me
I'm Jalpa Vaidya Patel, LCSW, an adjunct professor of social work and school social worker who believes cultural curiosity and belonging are deeply connected.
I’ve always loved being surrounded by diversity and learning about cultures. I studied Native American studies in college and always taught my children that Indigenous peoples are the first caretakers of this land and still are today.
And I'd add this — over time, many families have come with their own stories of culture & heritage. Every story belongs. That's what I wanted my kids to understand — and what eventually became Wizzy.
When I'm not dreaming up Wizzy's next adventure, I help schools and families build cultural curiosity into everyday life.
