Treehouse Tales

Set in the 1880s on a Pennsylvania farm, the narrative follows three siblings: Tom, Emily, and Lucey. The story is told through three distinct chapters, each focusing on how the children use their family tree house to process their experiences. It serves as a refuge from chores, a stage for imaginative play (including a dragon encounter), and a vantage point to observe the world around them. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book is very low-conflict and secular. It deals with mild fears and sibling friction in a realistic, gentle way. There are no heavy themes like death or trauma; the focus is on the everyday life of rural children in a historical setting. EMOTIONAL ARC: The arc is gentle and rhythmic. It mirrors the ups and downs of a typical day of play: starting with curiosity, moving through a moment of tension or 'scary' imagination, and resolving in the safety and warmth of family. IDEAL READER: A thoughtful 7- or 8-year-old who loves building forts, playing outside, or perhaps feels a bit overshadowed by siblings and needs to see a model of collaborative play. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might notice their children bickering over shared space or expressing boredom with their surroundings. This book acts as an 'imagination starter.' PARENT PREP: No specific scenes require previewing. The language is descriptive and evocative of the time period, making it a great cold read-aloud. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger children (6-7) will be swept up in the 'dragon' and the physical adventure of the tree house. Older children (9-10) will appreciate the historical details of 19th-century farm life and the nuanced shifts in sibling power dynamics. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many high-stakes historical novels, this is a quiet, 'small' story that validates the importance of a child's private world and the power of simple, unstructured play.