Jalpa Vaidya Patel launches children’s book on culture and belonging

Author and educator Jalpa Vaidya Patel has released Wizzy the Worldly Tree to help children explore family history, cultural curiosity, and belonging. The book is now available on Amazon, and Patel is also promoting a companion workshop for schools and educators.

Why it matters: - Wizzy the Worldly Tree is aimed at helping children talk about culture, identity, and family heritage without making those conversations feel overwhelming. - Patel is positioning the book as an early lesson in diversity education, centered on belonging and shared connection. - The project is also being developed for use in homes, classrooms, and school programs.

What happened: - Author, educator, and social worker Jalpa Vaidya Patel introduced Wizzy the Worldly Tree, a new children’s book focused on cultural curiosity. - The book encourages young readers to ask where their families come from and to see family stories as part of a shared human experience. - Patel says the book grew out of a lesson she taught her own children about Indigenous peoples as the first caretakers of the land and about how families arrived with different cultures and histories. - The book is available on Amazon. - More information is available through Patel’s website.

The details: - Patel drew on her background in social work and Native American Studies while shaping the book’s message. - She wanted children to begin with curiosity about how people came to be here, rather than starting with differences. - Patel said, “Everybody has a family story, and everyone belongs.” - She said, “Wizzy is the first lesson in diversity education.” - The story uses accessible writing and whimsical, bohemian-inspired illustrations. - Patel hopes children will finish the book and ask parents, “Where is our family from?” - Patel says that question can help parents and educators introduce culture and heritage in a simpler way. - The book was originally titled The Wise Old Tree. - Patel changed the title to Wizzy the Worldly Tree to make the message feel more joyful. - Patel’s children created a “Wizzy the Worldly” tune that became part of the book’s identity. - Patel worked with illustrator Maria Rein and Deepika Sandhu, founder of Soul Sparks Press, to publish the book.

Between the lines: - Patel is framing belonging as a universal starting point, not a message reserved for any one group. - That approach reflects a broader shift in how some educators introduce diversity, with emphasis first on connection and shared history. - Patel’s focus on schools suggests the book is meant to function as both a reading experience and a classroom tool. - The companion workshop, “Inspiring Cultural Curiosity with Wizzy as an Anchor,” extends the book’s message into educator training. - Patel says the story was written after a couple abroad asked how to teach children about culture, which gave the project a practical origin beyond publishing.

What's next: - Patel is meeting with school, education, and conference leaders about the workshop. - She wants Wizzy the Worldly Tree to reach classrooms, homes, and communities nationwide. - Patel is also offering speaking engagements tied to the book and its cultural-curiosity message. - Contact information and additional details are available at Patel’s website and through The Hyphenate Group.

The bottom line: - Patel is using a children’s book to turn a complicated conversation about identity into a simple question: where does my family story begin?