The Space Between Before and After

Gr 3 Up—Thomas Moran's mother has had the strangest dream, at least in Thomas's opinion. She tells him over breakfast that she dreamt she was going on a trip by herself. Thomas sees this as odd because his mother's depression has been so severe that she won't even leave their home. Thomas loses himself in thought and heads off to school. When he returns, however, his mother is gone. After a thorough police search where his mother's car is located, there is little more the police can do. At a neighbor's suggestion, Thomas begins to construct a fantasy story to help cope with his mother's disappearance and his own anxieties. As the mystery of his mother's disappearance deepens, Thomas and his family find great comfort in the tale that Thomas has concocted with his neighbor's assistance. This novel is incredibly heartwarming and the characters feel very real, especially the neighbor Giselle, whose vibrant personality lightens an otherwise sorrowful tone.