Thank you so much to Granger Smith for allowing me to arc review his new children's book, Up Toward the Light! I can't wait to read this in the future to the littles in my life!

Up Toward the Light is a beautifully illustrated children's book about a conversation between a boy and a tree following the loss of his grandfather. I believe that this book would be a wonderful resource for explaining grief to a young child but also just a wonderful story and lesson even if you are not grieving anyone.

I highly recommend the book for all parents! The story is wonderful and the illustrations are absolutely beautiful!

When I see “story of loss” and a dog on the cover of a book, I assume I’m getting a dead pet story, and honestly…that’s kind of my thing? When I’m having emotional issues, I appreciate the cry from a dead pet book. Yet this book’s grief is not for a dog, but for a grandfather, which certainly hits the characters harder, if not me.

And this book is brilliantly crafted for helping children with the loss of a human person. It’s concerned with legacy and care, not just the simple love of an animal. Thee oak tree on the cover speaks with the boy, telling him the story of how a young man once grew it from an acorn, and cared for the tree until it was time to be out in nature, growing tall on its own, “up toward the light.” There is also a lot of focus on the metaphor of falling leaves and falling tears both having a purpose, in helping us grow stronger.

This book is so gentle, and would be absolutely devastating, in the best possible manner, to the right audience. If you’ve gone through loss recently, be prepared for your kid to have a major catharsis.

Advanced reader copy provided by the publisher.

Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson Children’s and Netgalley for the ebook to read and review.

A little boy is grieving his grandpa goes to the tree his grandpa always says was special, he doesn’t know why it was so special, so he asks it questions and finds out exactly how special it really is, and what it meant to his grandpa.

This was so beautifully written, it’s a beautiful way of sharing about grief, about love, about nature and about finding the beauty everywhere. There was so much to this story and it was so lovely.

The little boy wanted his grandpa back, he didn’t know how to be without him, but this tree gave him a place to go, a place to reconnect with his grandpa. I loved the way that the tree spoke back to him, answering his questions, helping him understand how the seasons change, how the tree grew so big and how it stands tall towards the light.

This was just so beautiful and showing a different way to grieve and grow at the same time. The illustrations were just absolutely beautiful and I really loved looking at them, seeing the little boy discover the tree, seeing his young grandpa growing the tree so lovingly. It was so wonderful to read and very touching, the boy found a special place with his grandpas special tree.

Oh my goodness, this book was just perfect! It didn't have a lot of text, but the pictures said it all.

Up Toward the Light tells the story of a boy and a tree who teach each other to see the greatest things in life. It is filled with lessons on loss, grief and the strength you can ain in finding the light and the will to move on with joy and a purpose. The tree makes losing something or someone, in this case, so bearable by sharing its ultimate wisdom and comfort with the boy.

As a beagle owner myself, I also really liked the addition of the dog in every picture, always being close to the boy, offering his comfort.

Five stars!

This was beautiful!!!! A story of a young boy trying to understand and learn what to do with grief. A story demonstrating the beauty and connection of nature. A story to learn that feelings are valid, and important; and so is having a forest of others to help provide strength. A story to learn to look and talk to the natural world.

A beautiful book showing us the journey grief, and all the layers of it. We see the trees circle of life, and the tree shows us deep-rooted lessons about our human lives.

The illustrations are gorgeous! Definitely recommend this book for families, whether you are dealing with the topic of grief, or not.

"Just like a leaf from a tree, no tear is ever wasted."

I received a complimentary copy of this book but was not required to leave a review.

Awe, what a lovely book. At first, I was confused of where we were going with all of this information about trees. But then it turned into a lovely tale about grief and how it in some ways enriches your life and makes you stronger. I can imagine this would be a good book to give to a child that has experienced loss of some sorts. Whether that be a close relative, friend, a pet, etc.
My only regret is that it did not linger a bit more on the grieving part and the analogue with the leaves. It just briefly touched upon it but if it had lingered for another page or two, it would have been better.

A boy and his dog go walking into the forest to find a red oak tree, one his grandfather told him was a very special tree. The boy begins to ask him questions about being a tree, which the thee answers in an informative and wise way. The tone changes when the boy begins talking about how he misses his grandfather and the two of them discuss grief and moving on with their lives.

The artwork in the text is really gorgeous and I love the palette. I think the tone of the book is good, and it does a good job of informing the reader about the basics of trees. I do feel there is a bit of an awkward shift when suddenly the boy begins talking about the grandfather when they have spent so much time talking about being a tree. The change in subject matter throws me a little. Overall, I think it is a good book to share with a child who is going through the loss of a grandparent - it delicately hits the right notes when talking about grief.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The illustrations are nice and I liked the overall idea, however I found it hard to connect with this book. The story was a bit confusing too and it did not follow the natural flow of a story plot for kids. It's nice to have books that talk about grief for the little ones, but I feel the message could be delivered in a better way.

I did appreciate that all the Christian details are quite subtle, so one can ignore the religious aspect.

Granger Smith’s beautifully written picture book Up Toward the Light provides a message of hope and strength for youth who have endured loss. After the loss of his beloved grandfather, a young boy and his dog go into the woods in search of a special tree. Once found, the boy begins a conversation with the humble red oak. Through this allegorical layered discussion, the boy learns the significance of grief/pain and how it strengthens and unites us together. The “broken pieces join together so that our roots can stand firm,” the tree explains. The boy comes to understand that in order to get through loss he must let go, learn to grow toward the light, and spread such light by paying it forward.

This is a beautifully illustrated, short picture book filled with wisdom about life, death, grief, hope and purpose using the lessons that nature provides, specifically a beautiful tree. It would be especially helpful to open conversations with a child who has lost a loved one.

Thank you to Netgalley and Tommy Nelson for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This book was so sweet, and the illustrations are beautiful. It held notes of Shel Silverstein's _The Giving Tree_, only better. It touches on grief, loss and struggling with change but not in a heavy-handed way. I loved the metaphor of the tree's seasons and life cycle to relate to the pain the boy was experiencing. This is a book that kids will not only enjoy but that they can also learn from. The special connection between the tree and the boy's grandpa was a sweet addition, and it really brought the story full circle. Absolutely lovely, and although I would say confidently that this is an uplifting and God-honoring book, it could also be enjoyed by a secular audience. The motif of growing "toward the light" could easily be a conversation starter for Christian parents to discuss the importance of keeping our eyes fixed on the Lord during pain and struggles, and it's exactly the conversation I plan to have with my own kids when I share this book with them.

*I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Tommy Nelson. My opinions are entirely my own.

To be honest, I had to ponder quite a bit about what messages this book is trying to convey beyond the obvious one. So I suspect children may not be able to grasp them too and will need some help from a discerning adult.. It’s nicely and gently told, though, and I liked the illustrations.

3 stars,

What appears at first to be a story of a tree from roots to leaves is much more, The boy comes out to the forest looking for a special tree. The boy is lost without his grandfather and the tree who grew tall and strong because of the grandfather offers words of comfort to the grieving boy.

4.5 A very beautiful grief but also a hopeful story in a dialogue between the boy and the tree remembering the boy's grandfather. The message is very beautiful and powerful. I like that the tree although sounds very confident of herself and independent also needs the boy's help. The tree says many things that can be interpreted as life lessons.
The colors and illustrations are as strong and powerful as the message with warm autumn colors.
Thank you, Publisher and Netgalley for this e-arc.

What a beautiful little book. This was such a gentle exploration of grief and loss. The story revolves around a conversation between a hurt little boy and a very wise, unendingly kind tree. As they talk, the tree imparts advice age old advice on giving, being grateful, and explains with heartwarming patience how to breathe and move past the hurt of losing a loved one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Tommy Nelson for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 Stars

This is the story of a boy and his dog who go in search of a tree, but not just any tree - a special one. It’s a journey that takes them many places, hiking over fields, over fences, a cedar thicket until they arrive at the perfect tree. The boy greets it with Hi, Tree.’ and the tree responds to his greeting with ’Hello, Boy.’

The boy tells the tree that his grandfather had told him that this tree was a special tree, and wants to know if that is true, but the tree doesn’t seem to think it is all that special. Then the boy notices that the tree is taller than the others and wants to know what it is like to be so tall, and how deep its roots are, along with many other questions. But the tree is happy as it is, and doesn’t care how tall it is, or how deep its roots are, this is where he is, and where he is content to be.

When the boy notices that some of the trees have lost their leaves, but that the tree still has some on top, the tree tells him he will lose them all, that the leaves that drop are never wasted because it makes the soil richer.

As the story continues, the boy learns a lesson from the tree, and in turn, the tree shares his story, as well.

This is a beautifully illustrated story that explores the themes of grief and loss, as well as gratitude and the gift of giving in return.


Pub Date: 02 Apr 2024


Many thanks for the ARC provided by Thomas Nelson: CHILDREN’S, Tommy Nelson

This is such a gentle story about loss, grief, and growth. After his grandfather’s passing, the boy talks with a meaningful tree about changes. The golden-toned illustrations match the mood of the book. I loved the concept about growing toward the light; that is a lesson I’d like to incorporate into my parenting.

Thank you NetGalley and Tommy Nelson for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

'Up Toward the Light' is written by Granger Smith and stunningly illustrated by Laura Watkins. The book's joyous story invites readers to delve into its allegorical layers and encourages interpreting life's lessons. It's a wisdom-packed journey for all, resonating with the profound message that no pain is wasted. In the words of the book, "Your tears, like old leaves, will enrich your soil." A delightful blend of beauty and depth, 'Up Toward the Light' is a treasure that transcends generations, urging everyone to embrace who they are and pay kindness forward.

A heartwarming conversation between a boy and a tree over life, being at peace, and living life after loss. Through the tree, the boy learns that pain is never wasted and can be used to help you grow. The book also touches on the importance of growing up toward the light (God). Highly recommend this book for children.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.