Treehouse Boy

by John R. Thayer

Ryan is a fourteen year-old boy who lives alone in a treehouse, deep in the woods of New Hampshire. His father is gone and his mother is dead. He does his best to remain unnoticed by the townspeople, in fear of being taken away by the state. He attends school in order to get a free meal each day, and learns to balance friendship as he understands it, with self-preservation. He struggles with hunger, abandonment, ridicule, trust, and death, all while secretly trying to keep warm and fed as the cold weather closes in on his home. One boy alone in the world – looking for a way out of despair – potentially finding it from a most unlikely source.

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 15, 2019

About the author

John Thayer lives in Riverview, Florida with his wife, Judy, and son, Jared. His debut novel, Jared’s Island, came out in September, 2012. Jared was John’s inspiration to begin writing, which is why there is always a character named Jared in his books. His latest work, SHIMA, is currently avaiable through amazon. You can follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jaredsisland. He also always loves to hear from people who have read his books and can be reached by email at Johnthayer11@gmail.com

Reviews

[India Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I just finished reading Treehouse Boy and the journey that the main character Ryan goes through is truly riveting. The circumstances that he found himself in might have been challenging to him physically and mentally; however, I found myself afraid for him, but at the same time cheering him on as he learns some major life lessons like learning not to just survive, but to live. I found his story encouraging because the focus was on his struggle with surviving the elements, but he also struggled with learning to trust others. The theme was enveloped in the the spirit of helping others in need even in the smallest ways possible. It was so suspenseful to watch Ryan’s character and personality unfold through the people that he met during his journey and also suspenseful to finally find out his background and the reason why he ultimately ended up in one of the most desperate situations that one could end up being in. Ryan’s story left me with hope for the future and an understanding that we should be always be kind to others, because we never know what they might be going through.

[Erin Arthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was initially looking for a book for my cousin’s child who has had a rough year and needed a “pick-me-up”. I read the synopsis and felt that the main character, Ryan, seemed to be dealing with some of what my family member was going through. While reading, you quickly feel something for Ryan, and want to do something yourself for him! I even found myself looking at strangers in a different way. It really makes you realize that people tend to hide when they are hurting the most. You can tell that the Storyteller cared for his main character and may have gone through some of the same struggles. The story can be sad and yet it is a very sweet one, and it leaves you with a sense of faith that tomorrow really can be better. It’s a good story for young adults as well as older adults like me who need to be reminded that we are all in this together, and that we are stronger than we think we are.

[G.B. Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic story!

I loved the emotions written into the story. I feel it taught me a few things about myself as well. I enjoyed this very much.