The Place A Tree Should Be

From American Author, Photographer, Woodworker, and former group home and shelter worker Travis Wild comes a story about empathy for oneself and others through life unexpected twists and turns.

"Far from here there is a mountain, and on top of the mountain there is a tree which stands along and strong in a place where some say a tree should not be..."

What makes a tree a tree? What makes you a you and me a me? It's easy to see what makes us different and that makes it harder to see what makes us the same. Is it where we are or what we've been through? Or is it something small, simple, which comes from deep inside?

The Place A Tree Should Be is a book about a tree that grew in a place you wouldn't think it could. It is about growing and finding beauty even when it was lonely and scary. It's a book about how even when we're far from each other we can communicate, we can help or hurt, encourage or discourage, and that choice is ours. The idea behind The Place A Tree Should Be came from working with kids, understanding the hard realities they face, and made those struggles into a palatable, easy to digest, fun story - because it's hard to talk about the real truth sometimes, and that's okay, but it doesn't mean we ignore it because it's hard.

Many children often feel like they're being talked about, talked to, and this is especially true with "at risk" kids in shelters, group homes, and foster care. They are often talked to like they are the problem they face and need fixing. This book is meant for every child, but specifically to show them they aren't a problem but rather are resilient, confident, and strong heroes of their own story which is filled with potential - the same potential inside all of us waiting to be discovered.