Shadow Tree

Shadow Tree tells the poignant story of thirteen-year-old Glory, who is expelled from her conservative West Virginia Christian community and forced to survive alone. The narrative follows her arduous journey through the wilderness and into an unfamiliar small town, where she grapples with homelessness, illness, and the overwhelming challenges of an independent life. Despite immense hardship, Glory encounters unexpected kindness from strangers, which slowly helps her navigate her new reality and begin to forge a path toward a future she never imagined. This book is a powerful exploration of resilience, belonging, and finding hope after abandonment, suitable for middle-grade readers ready for a realistic and emotionally resonant story.

After struggling alone in the wilderness for weeks, Glory decides that she must get to Boston. But the world outside Dogwood is more overwhelming and terrifying than Glory could ever have imagined. Finally, with the help of a few kind and generous strangers, Glory takes her first tentative steps toward a life she never imagined for herself. A life without family or friends or a place to call home, but not without hope.