Sketches from a Spy Tree

Reach for this book when your child feels like an outsider within their own family or is struggling to maintain their individual identity while being compared to a sibling. It is a quiet, reflective tool for those times when a child needs to feel seen for their unique perspective rather than their social performance. Through a series of poems and sketches, the story follows Anne, a girl who finds solace in an old oak tree where she can observe her world, including her twin sister, with distance and clarity. This verse novel beautifully navigates the complex waters of growing up, sibling rivalry, and the search for belonging. Written for the 8-12 age group, it uses accessible imagery and honest emotion to normalize the feeling of being different. Parents will appreciate how it validates the need for personal space and creative expression as healthy ways to process the changing dynamics of middle childhood.