Journey to the Bone Tree (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781681978055)

Best friends forever. That is how Marcy Peterman and Anna Miller describe themselves. The 12-year-olds are inseparable and have created an imaginary Indian village in the wooded pasture that is their playground. Rice's Hill is where they dream and play and the Bone Tree, a jagged-edged hollow stump, is where they hide secret messages, trinkets, special rocks, and animal bones they find. It is a perfect childhood in the small town of Danford, Montana.

When tragedy strikes, grief and despair cast a long shadow over the Miller and Peterman families but eventually hope triumphs as God reveals his plan - a plan that has some surprising twists and turns.

While this book sounds heavy and grim, it isn't. It is filled with author Jan Thacker's trademark humor and quirky insight into family life. Journey to the Bone Tree abounds with hope and joy as life triumphs over death. It is filled with rollicking good humor over the antics of a pastor and his congregation and a comical dog named Midas, and joyful when an unexpected gift helps a young girl heal. It is heartwarming when a surprising turn of events changes grief to peace and sadness to bountiful joy. And, years later, it is emotionally touching when Marcy brings the families to Rice's Hill to tell them about two young girls named Anna and Marcy.