Come and help us celebrate the launch of the fourth book in the beloved Bea Garcia series, by acclaimed local children’s author Deborah Zemke! This book is especially precious as it is based upon a real-life story that happened some years ago at Grant Elementary School - just across the road from the Daniel Boone Regional Library. Deborah has worked with Grant students for many years as the founder and mentor of the Grant School Book Project, where she has helped more than 1,000 fourth graders write and illustrate hardcover books.

Bea Garcia and her classmates know they can save their school's best tree from being cut down! The fourth chapter book in this quirky, beloved series focuses on teamwork in the classroom and care for the environment. There's a very special 150-year-old oak tree outside the window of Bea's classroom at Emily Dickinson Elementary School. When Bert, Bea's nemesis, climbs the tree, he gets in a lot of trouble--and that leads to even more trouble for everyone. "Concerned" citizens proclaim the tree a hazard and call for cutting it down. But the class won't let that happen, and using Bea's artistic ability, they work out a great plan to save the tree named Emily.

Deborah Zemke has written and/or illustrated more than fifty books for young readers. These range from the popular Doodles drawing books to the acclaimed Bea Garcia chapter book series. Deborah is a frequent contributor to Ranger Rick magazine and the designer of the ITC Zemke Hand font. Deborah grew up drawing, dreaming, reading, and climbing trees near Detroit, Michigan and now, many years later, does exactly the same thing in Columbia, Missouri.