About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the illness of a loved one or asking difficult questions about what happens when someone dies. This story provides a gentle, metaphorical bridge to discuss the cycle of life through the eyes of twelve-year-old Stanly, who discovers a skeleton growing like a tree in his backyard. While the premise sounds spooky, the story is actually a deeply moving exploration of family bonds and the process of saying goodbye. It is best suited for middle-grade readers (ages 8 to 12) who are ready for a story that combines magical realism with honest, heartfelt emotion. Parents will find it a helpful tool for normalizing the complex feelings of fear, grief, and eventual acceptance that accompany loss.
