The Space Between Before and After

Fifth grader Thomas Moran has watched as his mother remains mired in depression in their Michigan home. After having a brief conversation with her one cold December morning, he is hopeful that maybe things will be better. But she's gone when Thomas comes home from school, leaving her family bereft.......more

Tween from Amazon "One morning, ten-year-old Thomas's mother tells him about a dream she had about taking a trip by herself. That seems strange, because lately, his mother has been too depressed to even leave the house. Maybe it's a good sign. But when Thomas gets home from school, she's gone. The po......more

I am so moved by this book. This book delves into the medical condition of depression and coping with loss. A parent suffering from depression goes missing causing heartache and distress with the family, especially for the young boy Thomas. "A story that starts with goodbye" has a secondary story wo......more

Depression is a serious illness that can impact more than the person who has it. Ten-year-old Thomas's mother was dealing with deep depression when she disappeared one winter's day. Thomas hopes, then imagines, then gradually must come to an acceptance that she's gone. Each member of the family cope......more

I came across this gem in my neighborhood Little Library that has become my main source of reading materials during the pandemic. I love this children's novel about a boy whose mother disappears (spoiler: it looks to be a suicide in which the body is never found). The way he, and ultimately his fath......more