In The Last Tree Town, Cassi Chord is coming to terms with growing up – identity, culture, heritage, sisterhood, friendships, family dynamics, and mental health are all important elements of Beth Turley’s latest work.
“It’s been forty-seven days since our last night of s’mores and scary stories. The number forty-seven has too many sharp edges.”
I really enjoyed The Last Tree Town. It’s classified as a middle school-aged book and I wish I had read a book like this when I was 12.
Turley’s story pieces together many of the things I hadn’t been able to say then and oftentimes struggle to say now.
Because of that, laughter and tears were also common as I read.
I stare at the threes until they look like eights and hearts and fish. I forget if the sum of a bunch of negatives is eventually positive or if it just stays negative forever.”
I really enjoyed Beth Turley’s writing style!
The mix of memories, present day narrative, and diary entries made for short, efficient chapters.
Quirky little details brought the characters to life. For example, Cassi loves numbers.
In the story, Cassi relates issues she encounters to math theories. I love that Cassi excels at math and that the Math Olympics group in the story has three girls in it and not just one “token” female mathlete.
I cannot speak to Cassi’s experiences growing up as Puerto Rican and Caucasian. I can, however, relate to the other things a 12 year old girl experiences – crushes, older sister dynamics, shifting friend groups, complete awareness of the self without actually knowing who that self is.
Depression is a key element of the story. Its effect on the Chord family and their friends is palpable and all too real. It’s inspiring and comforting to read about this health issue in The Last Tree Town because it gives me hope that there will be a positive impact around the stigma.
If you or anyone you know is struggling or has concerns about their mental health, check out these resources listed on the National Institute of Mental Health website. An internet search of resources will also yield results specific to your local area.
Learn more about Beth Turley and her works on her author website.
