Sy's Journey — A Children's Picture Book About Courage and Belonging
Follow Sy, a sycamore seed, on an illustrated adventure about resilience, hope and finding a place to belong. For ages 4–10.
A Seed's Search for a Place to Grow
"Sy's Journey" is a heartwarming and beautifully illustrated tale about resilience, hope, and the search for belonging.
This children's book follows Sy, a sycamore seed, who is swept away by the wind in search of a place to call home. Along her journey, she encounters challenges in the forest, on the farm, by the ocean, at construction sites, and even ends up at a garbage dump.
But each time, Sy bravely reminds herself:
"This is not my home,
But I know there is a place in need,
So I will keep following my heart,
Because I am a special seed."
Despite fear, disappointment, and loneliness, Sy never gives up and finally finds the perfect home.
This inspiring children's story teaches kids about perseverance, courage, and the importance of following one’s heart – even when the path is unknown. Along the journey, the book also introduces themes of environmentalism and the power of kindness.
"Sy’s Journey" is more than just a story about a seed — it teaches us that, despite the hardships, we will always find the very place where we are meant to be.
Bring Sy Home
Discover the story. Bring Sy's adventure home.
Ages: 4–10
Format: Paperback $15 · Hardcover $20
Pages: 48
Author: Dr. Stallar Lufrano
Illustrator: Chloe Nyiri
Publisher: BookBildr Publishing, 2025
ISBN: Paperback 978-1-964012-95-7 · Hardcover 978-1-964012-96-4
Gift wrapping: Available for $4
Every transaction is processed through Climate First Bank, a carbon-neutral, planet-focused institution. Each book ships plastic-free in eco-friendly EcoEnclose packaging, and every copy is proudly printed in the USA.
To give back to the places that inspired this story, $1 from every sale is donated to the National Park Foundation, helping protect our nation’s most beautiful wild spaces for generations to come. Fittingly, Sy's journey ends in a national park, where she finally finds her place to grow.
Meet Dr. Stallar Lufrano
I’m Dr. Stallar Lufrano, author of Sy’s Journey, a teacher, traveler and storyteller who helps people and companies protect the planet.
My kids and I love watching the sycamore trees change with the seasons, and that wonder helped inspire Sy’s story. With a background in environmental studies and sustainability, I enjoy exploring nature and storytelling. You can learn more about my work at Stallar.com.
When I’m not writing, you’ll find me chasing my little ones down the ski slopes, kayaking on Lake Tahoe, or happily “just browsing” the puzzle shelves at the library.
Meet Chloe Nyiri, Illustrator
I’m Chloe Nyiri, the illustrator of Sy’s Journey. I’m a watercolor artist, illustrator and jewelry creator from Hungary.
Painting the traditional way makes me feel closer to nature. I also love eco-gardening with my daughter and my partner. We love exploring nature and searching for sycamore trees.
Instagram: @chloenyiri
and our inspiration!
Author Visits & Storytime
Invite Dr. Stallar Lufrano to read Sy's Journey at your school, library or community group. In-person visits are available across Nevada and California, and virtual visits can reach classrooms anywhere. Sessions are tailored to your students' ages and group size.
When requesting a visit, please include your organization, city and state, grade levels, approximate number of participants, preferred dates, and whether you'd like an in-person or virtual visit.
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Questions About Sy's Journey
Learn about the story, ages, pricing and author visits. See all questions.
Sy's Journey: A Seed's Search for a Place to Grow is a children's picture book about a sycamore seed named Sy who is swept away by the wind and searches for a safe place to grow. Along the way she lives through a wildfire, a tornado and a hurricane, and lands at a construction site and a garbage dump before finding her home in a national park. The story helps children learn about the environment and shows what it means to keep going when things get hard.
Sy's Journey is recommended for children ages 4–10. As a read-aloud, it also works well for ages 3–7 when a parent, teacher or caregiver can help talk through the environmental events and feelings in the story.
Sy's Journey costs $15 in paperback and $20 in hardcover at sysjourney.com. Gift wrapping is available for an additional $4.
Yes. Dr. Stallar Lufrano accepts in-person visit requests throughout Nevada and California, and offers virtual sessions for classrooms, schools, libraries and organizations anywhere.
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