Telephone of the Tree

by Alison McGhee

An unforgettable story of grief and the support of community as a young girl, faced with aching loss, begins to understand that what we love will always be with us.

Ayla and her best friend Kiri have always been tree people. They each have their own special tree, and neighbors and family know that they are most likely to be found within the branches. But after an accident on their street, Kiri has gone somewhere so far away that Ayla can only wait and wait in her birch, longing to be able to talk with Kiri again.

Then a mysterious, old-fashioned telephone appears one morning, nestled in the limbs of Ayla's birch tree. Where did it come from? she wonders. And why are people showing up to use this phone to call their loved ones? Especially loved ones who have passed on.

All Ayla wants is for Kiri to come home. Until that day comes, she will keep Kiri's things safe. She'll keep her nightmares to herself. And she will not make a call on that telephone.

Genres: Middle Grade, Audiobook, Grief, Realistic Fiction, Friendship, Fiction, Family

207 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 7, 2024

About the author

Alison McGhee writes novels, picture books, poems, and essays for all ages, including the just-published THE OPPOSITE OF FATE, a novel, and the #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestseller SOMEDAY, illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds. Her work has been translated into more than 20 languages. She lives in Minneapolis and California.

Reviews

[meggy (readsinbloom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advanced copy of this book from a GoodReads Giveaway!

I really enjoyed “Telephone of the Tree” by Alison McGhee. It is much different from what I usually read, but it was a nice break.

I think this would be a really good book to read to a class, or to a child dealing with loss. This story covers a girl dealing with the loss of her friend Kiri. She struggles with coping with the loss of her friend. She tries to pretend that it has not happened. Throughout the book she thinks “la la la” to ignore the unwelcome thoughts she is having. I believe that this story would help a child understand that they are not alone. People have gone through loss and the feelings they are having are not unusual.

I really resonated with this book. As a child when my dog died I would continue to say goodnight to him every night. Until I read this book I had completely forgotten that that was something I had done. Being aware of the fact that a child can continue talking to the people they have lost could be a more healthy coping mechanism.

I really enjoyed the writing of this book. Repetition of phrases, spaces, and many more techniques were utilized to exude emotion and feeling. There were also illustrations throughout the book on the pages that added a lot of personality to the book. I adored them.

Overall, I think this was a sweet book that tackled tough topics that could be used as a tool for helping children grieve.

[Maureen Grigsby · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunningly beautiful story about a young girl who has lost her best friend. Definitely keep some tissues nearby!

[Sesili · Rating 2 out of 5]

Priča je stvarno dirljiva i lepa, ali ako ne umete detetu da pomognete da se izbori s tugom i ne znate da mu objasnite šta znači kad ljudi umru, molim vas odvedite ga kod psihologa. Čuj molim te, oni će da je puste da sama nađe način, pih.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

6.6/10

It's not a bad book, but I did struggle with it for a couple reasons. I had a hard time figuring out how old the character was supposed to be. She seems somehow infantilized at the beginning, but that could just be me not realizing what was going on fast enough. But it felt like she didn't understand what had happened instead of suppressing it, and that made it hard to get into at first. Also no chapter is longer than a single page, which took me a bit to get used to, but overall I do think it served to give the novel a good "in verse" feel but without actually being in verse, and without falling into the trap of "I just break sentences up into lines and thus a novel in verse" (mostly). I did feel things, but I also was sort of disconnected from the story for a while, so it landed as a solid "good but not incredible" for me.

[Laura McGee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short book but it packed a lot of punch! I was advised not to read it in public in case I cried and oh did I cry!
A lovely story though and based on a real phone that people use in Japan to speak to their deceased loved ones.

[Thushara]

~ middle grade
~ grief
~ female friendship
~ supportive community

[Hannah Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Last times come for everyone...
first times come for everyone too."

when I found out I won an advanced readers copy of this book I was suprised bc I never thought I'd win a giveaway and that the one I won was a middle school book. but I read the description again and remembered why I entered for it. grief is such a complicated thing we all experience but are terrible at properly expressing. well at least for most but not for Alison McGhee. this story absolutely devastated me in the best and worst way. I loved how it was continuous without chapters or change in pace. it sucks you in and keeps you there. I'm a slow and easily distracted reader, and I finished it in two sittings. and it's written so beautifully. perfectly simple and yet incredibly complex. poetic and lyrical. if I ever have a child or know a child going through the grieving process I will absolutely give them this book. heck if I know an adult I will. when I lose someone I love I will be reading this again. it's so sweet and painful. so perfectly puts the thinking about not thinking about thinking and so on. about how we can't stay in the lalalas forever. and how important having space to figure it all out is. when she finally picks up the phone this line,

"that day will always be there
but there's more, Ayla
so much more"

it will stick with me forever. but there is more, so so very much more. I would like to thank Rocky Pond Books for this copy and Alison McGhee for writing this. I will never look at a tree the same again (in the absolute best way possible).

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was short, but so full of emotion. Dealing with loss and grief and the way people mourn their loved ones. The best part for me was the community, so close knit and supporting each other in this difficult time.

The phone part was interesting and I like the idea of a safe space to talk to loved ones who have gone. Each person who used the phone made me tear up and I wish this were longer so we could get to know them better.

[Kirsten · Rating 5 out of 5]

An old telephone shows up in Ayla’s favorite Birch tree one day. It just sits there waiting for someone to make a call, to call someone who isn’t there. First, Gentleman (his real name is Fraser) calls his gecko, Sweetheart. Then, Galaxy Pizza bike guy calls his dad. Mrs. S calls her husband. Baby Siena and her dad call mom. Pops called Randa. Can Ayla make a call, too? Make sure you have enough time to read this book in one sitting before you read the first page, it may haunt you if you don’t. A beautifully gentle exploration of childhood grief that will leave you teary-eyed and thinking about who you want to call on the telephone of the tree.

[Emily McKee · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is set in one of those neighborhoods that only exists in books—where everyone knows everyone and it’s normal for a kid to stop by for pancakes at the home of the old man down the street. It even has a busybody old lady. Also, everyone in this neighborhood apparently knows to plant a tree in honor of the birth of a new baby.

10 year-old Ayla has lost her friend Kiri in an accident that is only alluded to in the first half of the book. Readers never meet Kiri, so it was hard for me to connect strongly with Ayla’s loss. Ayla understandably struggles with her grief and repeatedly wonders about their (Kiri used they/them pronouns) return, their upcoming birthday, and where they are now. This could be an interesting introduction to unreliable narrators for some readers, and I could see some discussions related to this.

At some point a telephone appears in the tree that was planted for Ayla’s birth. Word spreads that this phone can be used to communicate with deceased loved ones. This was weird (yes, I know it was based on some phone booth in Japan, but still). I wasn’t sure if there was a magical realism thing going on here or what. I think we were supposed to be moved by “profound” conversations and the closure they provide.

Is it unsophisticated to admit to disliking a novel in verse? Is it even worse if that book is about the death of a child? But poetry is more than line breaks and repetition of words. On audiobook, I could only tell this novel was verse because I felt like I was listening to bullet points. I definitely didn’t feel like I was listening to poetry.

I’m quite curious about how books are being marketed lately because verse novels have become sooo popular—maybe it’s because, like graphic novels, they appeal (sell) to kids used to reading short snippets of text and their desperate parents and teachers who want them to read?

[Yamini · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tale of a young girl learning to navigate through her life when she was bumped by the tragic event of her best friend's death. The story is weaved delicately, accounting for all the emotions that one goes through and how it impact the lives of those around them.

There is a speculative connection between the trees and the characters of the story which was novel to read in a middle-grade book. The telephone angle is the inertia holding it all together and somehow its placement on the tree makes good sense in correlation with the story. I would have enjoyed it more if there were a few more details added and additional events that helped me get attached to the characters as well.

I found the concept provocative and when I learned towards the end of the book about it's inspiration, I knew I had to go and research it. It also made me wonder how grief can decay from inside if you don't find the right outlet for it and sometimes we need external help to get started on this path.

[April Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I CRY. I try to hold back the tears, and then I cry again. The perspective of this book is so unique and I feel as though it perfectly captures grief from not just a child’s perspective, but just about anyone. Hard to talk about it, hard to admit, hard to accept and move past…
But…
there’s more, so much more

[Jenny Svendahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very short book. This is a very powerful book. I have not cried so hard in a long time, yet I left with such peace. Inspiring.

[Angela Juline · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writing, the illustrations, the imagery - loved!

[Alexis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Random House for sending me this ARC :)

In this book, young Ayla struggles with the passing of her friend, Kiri. Genuinely, I enjoyed the portrayal of loss and grief as it felt similar to my own experiences of it at a young age; of wanting to be able to speak to that person one more time, and even the denial that they're gone. It reminded me of how I had felt at the young age where I first lost someone, yet the lessons I was taught that while they are no longer here, they still remain to exist everywhere.

I truly enjoyed this read as it was comforting while depicting loss.

[Heather Norman · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okay, and the adult povs definitely grabbed my emotional chain. While this book may be for some, it wasn’t really for me. For starters, the writing is well below middle grade and made the main character feel as though she were 5 or 6. The deeper meanings, on the other hand, were above a middle grade level and should be discussed, annotated, and or analyzed with an adult. I also understand the idea behind using 'they' as a new age gender-neutral term, but when referencing a toddler, I didn’t feel it was entirely appropriate.

[aynsrtn · Rating 4 out of 5]

“... aku belajar kita tidak perlu mencari alasan-alasan untuk menjadi apa pun yang kita inginkan. Kita hanya perlu bermimpi besar.” (p.14)

Ayla menghitung mundur setiap hari menuju hari ulang tahun sahabatnya, Kiri. Dua puluh hari lagi, lima belas hari lagi, dan seterusnya. Sahabatnya itu sedang pergi dan dia akan kembali di hari ulang tahunnya. Ayla dan Kiri memiliki mimpi yang besar, mereka ingin menjadi pohon. Mereka punya pohon masing-masing. Hingga suatu hari, Ayla menemukan ada sebuah telepon di pohonnya. Katanya itu telepon ajaib. Kita bisa memakai telepon itu untuk menelpon mereka yang sudah tidak ada. Ayla tidak mau menggunakan telepon itu karena Kiri pasti kembali di hari ulang tahunnya.

My thought—feeling(s).

Bagaimana rasa kehilangan dan berduka dari sudut pandang anak usia 11 tahun? Kira-kira beginilah cara buku ini bercerita. Dari sudut pandang Ayla yang “menunggu” sahabatnya kembali. Ia tahu bahwa sahabatnya tidak akan pernah kembali, tapi Ayla hanya belum bisa menerima itu. Dia hanya kangen. Dia hanya rindu sahabatnya. Dan berharap Kiri bisa pulang.

Buku ini sukses membuatku berlinang air mata dengan menghabiskan tisu dan mataku menjadi sembab. Setiap Ayla mengeluarkan LALALA—ini adalah cara dia menghalau semua pikiran dan “kenyataan” yang belum mau ia ingat dan dengar, maka di saat itu pula aku pun serasa ikut terbawa sedih dan rindu pada sahabat yang tak mungkin kembali.

Five stage(s) of Ayla.

Dalam rasa duka dan kehilangannya, Ayla denial. Dia menolak menggunakan telepon itu. Meskipun Gentleman—tetangganya yang berusia 5 tahun—menggunakan telepon itu untuk menelpon Si Manis—kadal/tokeknya yang telah mati. Atau laki-laki pengantar pizza. Dia menggunakannya untuk menelpon ayahnya yang telah tiada. Ayla menolak. Kiri masih ada. Dia hanya sedang pergi.

Lalu, Kiri pun marah. Dia memarahi orang tuanya. Teman-temannya yang lain juga. Ketika ayahnya bilang butuh waktu untuk terbiasa. Ayla marah dan menjawab bahwa tidak ada yang perlu dibiasakan. Dia hanya ingin Kiri pulang.

Geneva dan Rowan adalah teman Ayla di sekolah, mereka mengajak pergi ke sekolah bersama selepas libur. Tetapi, Ayla menunggu Kiri. Kalau Kiri ada, kalau Kiri sekarang ada, berulang kali Ayla berpikir seperti itu. Kalau Alya ada di rumah, dia pasti memandangnya dan mengangguk.

“Sahabat sejati bisa berkomunikasi tanpa kata-kata. Seperti pohon. Pohon tahu kalau ada satu pohon yang mendapat kesulitan, dan mereka akan menjangkau untuk membantu si pohon dalam masalah.” (p.80)

Ayla pun sering bermimpi buruk. Tidak bisa tidur. Insomnia. Ingin sendiri. Lelah. Tetapi tidak bisa berteriak atau menangis. Dan sampai pada suatu hari, dia pun menyadari dan “menerima” bahwa Kiri tak akan pernah kembali.

“Semua orang akan mengalami momen terakhir kalinya. Semua orang juga akan mengalami momen pertama kalinya.” (p.182)

The thing(s) I got from this book.

Bahwa anak kecil pun bisa berduka dan patah. Terutama mengalami depresi dan trauma setelah mengalami peristiwa berat. Di sana peran orang tua (atau orang dewasa) sangat diperlukan. Di sini aku melihat bagaimana ayah, ibu, dan kakek, bahkan tetangga Ayla mendekati Ayla secara perlahan, tanpa paksaan. Tidak meminta Ayla cepat-cepat “sadar”. Biarkan Ayla merasakan sedihnya dulu.

Berduka tidak mengenal lama waktu. Kita bisa berduka hari ini, besok selesai. Bisa dua minggu. Bisa berbulan-bulan. Bertahun-tahun pula. Tidak ada lama waktu. Tidak ada jangka waktu. Setiap orang bisa berduka dan mengenang dengan caranya masing-masing. Tetapi, hidup terus berjalan, kan? Kecepatan “menerima” kepergian seseorang itu berbeda-beda. Dan mereka yang telah pergi, bukan untuk dilupakan. Seperti Ayla yang mengenang Kiri dengan pohonnya.

Recommendation.

Buku ini meskipun middle grade, tetapi bisa banget dibaca oleh orang dewasa. Cocok bagi kamu yang sedang merasa kehilangan dan ingin “dipeluk” oleh pemikiran polos dari seorang anak kecil. Format penulisan bukunya pun pendek-pendek. Bukan tipikal narasi yang panjang, malah cenderung seperti sajak karena beberapa bagian ada yang sangat pendek dan berima. Jadi, buat kamu yang lagi reading slump, bisa banget dibaca. Dan jangan lupa siapin tisu.

⚘️ 4.5 bintang untuk now playing Gala Bunga Matahari repeat track 24 hours in loop sambil membaca buku agar efeknya semakin terasa.

[Valeria Brossard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you for the free book, @prhinternational.

That 𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘬 you heard was the sound of my heart breaking into a trillion pieces.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5

Don't let the 𝘔𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦 𝘎𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 category fool you. This book is ready to break your heart in half if you give it a chance.

Ayla, who is around 9/11 years old, is suffering. Kiki, her best friend forever (since they've known each other since they were babies and have been inseparable from the first moment), is too far away for her to reach out.

In her neighborhood, they have a custom of planting trees every time someone is born. Kiki and Ayla love trees so much that when they grow up, they want to become trees themselves.

But now Kiki is gone. And Ayla is suffering from her depression. With her 𝘭𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘴 and her 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 that seem to keep her afloat, but no.

I loved everything about this book. From how it is narrated (I felt like a little girl was talking to me) to how it gives information little by little about what happened to Kiki and if she will ever come home.

I also loved ALL the secondary characters and how each of them helped me to understand the immense pain that Ayla feels and how she cannot process it yet.

I love how practically the whole neighborhood is a big family that takes care of each other. Also, the idea that an old and magical phone appears in Ayla's tree seems very sweet to me.

It is a phone that many people use to call their loved ones, those they love so much but are no longer there. There are heartbreaking background stories, like the pizza boy who wants to talk to his dad, or the father of a baby who was widowed and now has to live through fatherhood alone.

It's a short story, easy to read but that fills your chest with very intense emotions. Not all of them are happy, but it's part of life.

And that's the most beautiful lesson it gives. That both happiness and sadness are part of life.

[Debra Slonek · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I picked up this book, I was immediately drawn into it. I was invited to spend part of a summer with a young girl who was processing deep grief. It felt as if I was welcomed into her neighborhood.

The sense of community was palpable, loving and welcoming. I loved how the different generations cared for and poured into one another.

When the magical, old telephone appeared in Kiri’s special and favorite tree, what could that mean? If you could use the magical phone to speak with someone who had passed, who would you call? There are quite a few on my list…

This book profoundly, and yet gently, touched my heart and soul. While reading it, I shed many tears and I also smiled many times. As we experience the last times and the first times in our lives, we see that sorrow and hope can and do exist together.

If you are missing the voices of loved ones, this may be the perfect book for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this healing and hopeful book through a giveaway sponsored by storygramtours. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Bookish_Aly_Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good middle grade read. The book itself is gorgeous and I appreciated the format of the writing. The illustrations sprinkled throughout really added to the story and the short chapters helped to break up the heaviness of the topics. I think that younger readers would benefit from reading this book, especially if they are dealing with some sort of loss.

Thank you to Penguins Kids for sending me a copy of the book.

[shabnam♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

oh wow.
i started reading this book cause it looked short and had a really pretty cover but this was actually sooo good! it got tears welling in my eyes and everything. i’d definitely recommend this book!

[Sana ⋆☾ ⋆ (inactive) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s a good short read, I decided to read it because of how small it is expecting not much, but it wasn’t bad I actually enjoyed it. It’s a short book for kids, which talks about grief and the loss of a loved one.
It’s a good book, I recommend it to others.

[Mayleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved The Phone Booth at the Edge of the World by Laura Imai Messina. The story of Itaru Sasaki’s phone booth or “wind telephone” has fascinated me ever since. When a coworker mentioned she had just read this and loved it, I jumped right on it knowing the background.

Brilliant.

[Kerry Crabbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

How sad…and wonderful…and brilliant.

[Sydney Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really sweet book. There’s a lot of repetitive language that I think might have been more effective if I read the print version rather than the audiobook.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

MCBA 25-26 I liked this more than I was expecting.

[Stacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book written for a young audience but relevant and perfect for anyone who is suffering loss and missing a loved one.

“The negative space is as important as the positive space. Always remember that.”

“Last times come for everyone. First times come for everyone too.”

[Amy Tippett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The beautifully illustrated cover is what originally piqued my interest about this book. I didn’t even read the jacket cover before jumping into it. As I was finishing it after an hour (it’s in free verse so you fly through it), I was wiping away tears and wishing I didn’t fly through it. It’s written for 8-12 year olds but it would be a very thoughtful gift for anyone going through grief.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The unwavering support of the community becomes a lifeline for Ayla, illuminating the profound impact of collective compassion in times of sorrow. This captivating tale reminds us that love endures, even in the face of unimaginable loss. Get the tissue box ready for this tender story.

[Nathan Bartos · Rating 3 out of 5]

This exploration of grief just didn't hit for me as hard as it could've. Also, this is marked as queer, but the only queer character is dead the entire book so...not the rep I'm really looking for.