Anna loves the pear tree at the bottom of her garden. With her friends she climbs, swings, and adventures among its branches. On her own, she hides, reads and relaxes.

Dark clouds roll in, stripping her beloved pear tree of its leaves, its joy and its warmth.

Anna too is lying low under blankets, and feeling the fog that surrounds her tree within herself. Like her tree’s leaves, she has lost her hair.

Both are quiet, still and sad.

Before too long the sun is back, bringing blossom, bees and their buzzing, waking up the tree and Anna’s smile.

As the tree returns to its former glory, first with bright green leaves then fruit to pick and eat, Anna too begins to heal. Crunchy and sweet, first fruit cheers Anna and gives her a seed to plant and tend.

As the seedling grows, so does Anna’s hair – both with tiny sprouts at first. Day after day, both Anna and the new sapling find their strength, a smile, a pear and hope.

A beautifully illustrated story showing a young girl’s journey through cancer. Instead of treatments and hospitals, her journey is shown through the loss of energy, dark clouds and fog surrounding her and then her slow recovery back to a hopeful future.

Alongside is her beloved pear tree, losing its leaves, standing alone in the fog, then slowly coming back to life with blossom, the buzz of bees and new growth.

Together Anna and a seed from the tree begin to grow shoots / hair, then leaves / curls, growing stronger together.

From the beginning to the end pages, a fragile but colourful creature follows the story. Can you find it?

Author – Wendy Shurety

Illustrator – Deb Hudson

Picture Book

See Teacher’s Notes here

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(2021, EK Books, Exisle Publishing, Cancer, Pear Tree, Health, Sickness, Rest, Recovery, Autumn, Winter, Sapling, New Growth, Hope, Future, Losing hair, No hair, Children’s Challenges)