The Slightly True Story of Cedar B. Hartley

Reach for this book when your child feels like an outlier, struggling to reconcile their quirky internal world with the expectations of school and peers. It is a lifeline for children navigating the quiet loneliness of being 'different' or those processing a shift in family dynamics, such as a missing father figure or a sibling moving away. The story follows twelve-year-old Cedar B. Hartley as she navigates her eccentric neighborhood, a new friendship with a circus boy, and the search for her lost dog. More importantly, it is a masterclass in emotional intelligence, exploring grief, creativity, and self-acceptance with a light, humorous touch. Parents will appreciate how it validates a child's complex inner life without being overly heavy-handed or sentimental.