About This Book
Reach for this book when your child is grappling with the upheaval of a parental separation or witnessing a loved one struggle with clinical depression. It is an ideal choice for pre-teens who feel the need to retreat or find a sense of control when their domestic world feels like it is fracturing. The story follows Alice as she moves into a backyard tent to protest her father leaving and her mother's deepening emotional withdrawal, finding a sense of purpose through competitive swimming and a new friendship with a non-verbal child. This is a deeply honest and realistic depiction of the burden children often carry when parents are unwell or absent. While it touches on heavy themes of loneliness and mental health, it remains grounded in the hopeful, everyday world of summer swim meets and science projects. It validates a child's right to feel angry and helps them see that while they cannot fix their parents, they can still define their own identity and find their own voice.
