About This Book
Reach for this book when your child feels invisible, unheard, or frustrated by the rigid rules of the adult world. It is a classic remedy for the specific kind of loneliness that comes from being told your very real problems are just a bid for attention or a lack of following directions. Through the absurdist lens of a boy who is physically shrinking, the story validates the childhood experience of having your concerns dismissed by the busy or indifferent adults in your life. Treehorn is a calm, resilient boy who discovers he is getting smaller by the day. As he struggles with basic tasks like reaching his candy bars or keeping his clothes from falling off, his parents and teachers respond with hilarious but stinging apathy, treating his shrinking as a behavioral nuisance rather than a crisis. The book uses dry humor and a touch of magic to help children ages 6 to 10 process feelings of frustration and alienation, eventually offering a satisfying, if slightly eerie, resolution as Treehorn finds his own way back to size.
