ATLANTA - s4story -- The Tree That Missed Her Friend
Some stories shout. This one listens.

The Tree That Missed Her Friend tells a quiet but steady story about friendship, change, and what happens after goodbye. Set in a peaceful grove, the book follows two young trees, an oak and an apple tree, who grow side by side. They laugh, sway, and share their days without much worry. Life feels simple. Then it changes.

One morning, the apple tree shares news that no one wants to hear. She must move to an orchard so she can grow strong and get enough sunlight. The oak does not take this well. The idea feels wrong. It feels unfair. It feels sudden. The story does not rush past those feelings, and that is the point.

As the days pass, the two friends try to act normal. They joke. They dance. They pretend things are fine, even when they are not. When the time comes to say goodbye, the moment is heavy but honest. The oak is left behind, standing in the same place, but everything feels different.

What follows is a gentle look at grief. The oak remembers jokes. She smiles, then feels empty. She feels weak for feeling sad, which many children recognize but rarely say out loud. The book allows space for those emotions without fixing them too fast.

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Then something small happens. A deer appears with an apple. It is a gift from the apple tree, now growing well in the orchard. The message is simple. She is okay. She remembers her friend. That one apple carries relief, connection, and proof that friendship does not disappear with distance.

Over time, the deer continues to pass messages between the two trees. The oak still misses her friend, but the grove begins to feel warm again. A new friendship forms. Laughter returns, not because the loss vanished, but because life kept moving.

The Tree That Missed Her Friend speaks to children who have experienced separation, whether from a friend, a move, or a change they did not choose. It shows that sadness is normal, that missing someone does not mean something is wrong, and that growth can happen in more than one place at once.

The story avoids lectures and avoids easy fixes. Instead, it trusts young readers to understand feelings through simple moments, clear dialogue, and steady reassurance. It offers comfort without sugarcoating and hope without pretending everything stays the same.

This book belongs on bedtime shelves, in classrooms, and in spaces where children are learning how to name what they feel. It reminds readers, both young and grown, that saying goodbye does not erase connection. Sometimes it just changes how it shows up.

Now available on Amazon!