Sincehismotherdiedearlierthisyear,GroverJohnston(namedafteracharacterinThomasWolfe'sLookHomewardAngel)haswatchedhisfamilyfalltopiecesashisfatherthrowshimselfintohisworkratherthandealingwiththepain.Lefttocareforhisyoungersister,Sudie,GroverfindssolaceincreatingintricateweavingsoutofthenaturalmaterialsfoundinthebambooforestbehindhisNorthCarolinahome,apursuitthathisfatherseesonlyasawasteoftime.Butastensionsmountbetweenfatherandson,unlikelyforcesconspiretohelptheJohnstonsfindtheirway.ThenewtenantsintherentalhouseacrossthestreetwhohavecomefromdeepintheCarolinahillsseemsodifferentfromtheJohnstons,butbecomeincreasinglyintertwinedwiththeminunexpectedways.Classmates,neighbors,teachers,andcoworkersbandtogether,formingacommunitythatcansaveafamilyfromitself.InthespiritofsuchbelovednovelsasNewberyMedal-winningMissingMayandBecauseofWinn-Dixie,WhatICametoTellYou,thefirstmiddle-gradenovelfromcriticallyacclaimedAshevilleauthorTommyHays,isastoryofgrief,love,andhard-wonredemption.Warm,evocativewritingblendswithanemotion-ladennarrativethatcutstotheheartofthereader.