A oak tree, more than forty feet tall, commands attention in the middle of Ericas big backyard. She loves the tree with all of its branches and nooks and crannies. She enjoys climbing into the oak and finding refuge; its her magical adventurous tree. As the seasons change, the tree continues to grow. As it grows, she discovers she can no longer reach the branches to pull herself into it or climb it. Ericas father sees her disappointment and suggests building a special treehouse in the old oak. She wants the treehouse to be at least ten feet off the ground, to have windows on each side, to have room to stretch out, and to include a thinking space. After a big setback, father and daughter work together to create a special place in the grand old oak tree, a place where Erica can experience a variety of rewarding adventures as a little girl.
Imagine ... growing up in an unfinished geodesic dome home with no heat or running water, wearing the same clothes to school every day, and eating breakfast cereal with warm goat milk. In this whimsical, poetic, and gripping autobiographical account, Jennifer Asbenson describes her abusive, dysfunctional, and chaotic upbringing, her abduction and escape from a serial killer, her years in and out of mental hospitals, her decision to heal herself, and ultimately, her path to wholeness. Jennifer tells how, from her youngest years, she learned to retreat into her imagination to develop the ability to survive. The Girl in the Treehouse is a profoundly compelling story, told with humor, honesty, and without self-pity, of Jennifer's emergence from mental illness and despair to happiness, through the power of forgiveness and self-love.
Andy and Terry's 13-storey treehouse is the most amazing treehouse in the world! It's got a bowling alley, a see-through swimming pool, a tank full of man-eating sharks, a giant catapult, a secret underground laboratory and a marshmallow machine that follows you around and shoots marshmallows into your mouth whenever you're hungry. And, now, The 13-Storey Treehouse is in colour! Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!
"Barnett's prose style is brassy and cleareyed, with echoes of Anne Lamott." --Beth Macy, The New York Times Book Review "Emotionally devastating and self-aware, this cautionary tale about substance abuse is a worthy heir to Cat Marnell's How to Murder Your Life." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) A startlingly frank memoir of one woman's struggles with alcoholism and recovery, with essential new insights into addiction and treatment Erica C. Barnett had her first sip of alcohol when she was thirteen, and she quickly developed a taste for drinking to oblivion with her friends. In her late twenties, her addiction became inescapable. Volatile relationships, blackouts, and unsuccessful stints in detox defined her life, with the vodka bottles she hid throughout her apartment and offices acting as both her tormentors and closest friends. By the time she was in her late thirties, Erica Barnett had run the gauntlet of alcoholism. She had recovered and relapsed time and again, but after each new program or detox center would find herself far from rehabilitated. "Rock bottom," Barnett writes, "is a lie." It is always possible, she learned, to go lower than your lowest point. She found that the terms other alcoholics used to describe the trajectory of their addiction--"rock bottom" and "moment of clarity"--and the mottos touted by Alcoholics Anonymous, such as "let go and let God" and "you're only as sick as your secrets"--didn't correspond to her experience and could actually be detrimental. With remarkably brave and vulnerable writing, Barnett expands on her personal story to confront the dire state of addiction in America, the rise of alcoholism in American women in the last century, and the lack of rehabilitation options available to addicts. At a time when opioid addiction is a national epidemic and one in twelve Americans suffers from alcohol abuse disorder, Quitter is essential reading for our age and an ultimately hopeful story of Barnett's own hard-fought path to sobriety.
Since the publication of Treehouses of the World, the community of treehouse builders has grown tremendously, and many more innovative treehouses have been built around the world. In New Treehouses of the World, world-renowned treehouse designer and builder Pete Nelson takes readers on an exciting, international tour of more than 35 new treehouses that reveal how treehouses are designed, constructed, and appreciated in a wide array of cultures and settings. Both beautifully photographed and thoughtfully written by Pete Nelson, New Treehouses of the World documents Nelson’s travels, discoveries, and epiphanies, and explores the ever-growing new frontier of arboreal architecture. The message that Nelson promotes is simple: As sustainable living issues stand poised to become the most important challenges facing the post-millenial age, the positive power and goodwill that a simple treehouse engenders is of greater importance than ever before.
"If this book were a house, the rooms would be filled with warmth, family, and friendship." --Erin Entrada Kelly, author of the Newbery Medal winner Hello, Universe; The Land of Forgotten Girls; and Blackbird Fly A coming-of-age story that explores culture and family, forgiveness and friendship, and what makes a true home. Perfect for fans of Wendy Mass and Joan Bauer. Lou Bulosan-Nelson has the ultimate summer DIY project. She's going to build her own "tiny house," 100 square feet all her own. She shares a room with her mom in her grandmother's house, and longs for a place where she can escape her crazy but lovable extended Filipino family. Lou enjoys her woodshop class and creating projects, and she plans to build the house on land she inherited from her dad, who died before she was born. But then she finds out that the land may not be hers for much longer. Lou discovers it's not easy to save her land, or to build a house. But she won't give up; with the help of friends and relatives, her dream begins to take shape, and she learns the deeper meaning of home and family. AN NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR A KIRKUS REVIEWS BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR "Equal parts girl-heart, muscle and know-how for today's reader. Endearing to the end." --Rita Williams-Garcia, Newbery-Honor-and-Coretta-Scott King -Award-winning author of the National Book Award Finalist Clayton Byrd Goes Underground "Warm, funny and affirming. As we get to know Lou, her extended Filipino family, and friends, the door opens into her life and, ultimately, her home." --Lisa Yee, author of the Millicent Min trilogy, The Kidney Hypothetical, the DC Super Hero Girls series, and other books "There couldn't be a hero more determined, resourceful or lovable than Lucinda Bulosan-Nelson. Her big dream of a tiny house is irresistible." --Tricia Springstubb, author of Every Single Second, What Happened on Fox Street, Moonpenny Island, and the Cody series "I fell in love with Lou and her wonderful extended family. This story may be about a tiny house, but it has an enormous heart." --Kate Messner, author of The Exact Location of Home
DOES THE HEART REMEMBER LOVE? Caleb McMann embarked on the most emotional journey of his life, the search for the little girl who had received the ultimate gift—a new heart. His daughter's heart. Hitting pay dirt, he temporarily moved next door to Erica Clemmons and her child, Hannah, to secretly check up on the young girl. However, Caleb had never counted on bonding with Hannah—or falling for her beautiful mother, whose compassion and life-affirming kisses made him whole again. But in a heartbeat everything could change, especially since he couldn't keep his true identity under wraps forever. Was a fresh start with this woman and child too much to hope for…?
She was his best friend, his lover, his soulmate, and then he lost her. But soulmates can’t help but eternally search for each other. They are compelled to, to be able to feel whole again. When young Oliver Blake meets the new Dutch girl in his small town, the free-spirited Erica Johansson, it marks the beginning of a unique friendship and an epic love. As young adults they struggle when they realize their feelings for each other have gone far beyond a beautiful friendship. And when they finally embark on the most intense romance, they become inseparable and realize they are perfect for each other in every way. However, an unfortunate turn of events makes it all screech to an abrupt halt and despite a desperate Oliver begging her to stay, Erica flees to Europe to get as far away from him as possible. Oliver then packs a bag and takes a journey across Europe, as he attempts to find the love of his life back... “Readers who hunger for romance will find their fix with Oliver and Erica. Both characters are beautiful and have adorable, endearing features and traits. Their romance is masterfully crafted, beginning with their childhood camaraderie and continuing with their first kiss in the treehouse. Their lovemaking scenes, intensified by their years of longing for one another, are beautiful and powerful. Their love for each other is palpable.” – David Aretha, award-winning author and editor.
Part dreambook and part practical guide, Knack Treehouses takes the reader a big step closer to having a house in the treetops. Replete with 450 full-color photographs, it covers all there is to know about designing, building, and enjoying unique elevated dwellings—both for kids and for adults. It also includes extensive information on materials and building techniques, including tips on tree selection and evaluation. Specific plans are given for trunk treehouses, branch treehouses, and treehouses between two trees, with each plan including step-by-step instructions for safe construction.
