There are several reasons I find this story special in spite of the sad parts. The quiet courage and dignity of the main character. The understanding we gain on how his abuser acted the way he did. The way Gary holds out a ray of hope for us to cling to even in the darkest parts of the story. And finally, how a huge tree played a crucial (even magical) role in the story.

Wow what a great and dark story. So different for Gary still lots of Gary Magic