Lily and her grandmother search for ten beautiful things as they take a long car ride to Iowa and Lily's new home with Gran. At first, Lily sees nothing beautiful in the April slush and cloudy sky. Soon though, Lily starts to see beauty in unexpected places. A heartfelt story of changing perspectives and finding beauty wherever you are.

🌟 ". . . a gentle, affecting story. . ."
—Shelf Awareness, starred review

🌟 "[A] life-changing, emotionally expansive journey."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

🌟 ". . . emotionally resonant . . ."
—Booklist, starred review

🌟 "[A] gorgeous story about claiming home where we are loved . . ."
—Foreword, starred review

What happens when a storm prevents all the relatives from coming in for the holidays? No Grandma, no aunts, no uncles, no cousins. No fun! The family will have to adapt their traditions to versions that can be done on a smaller scale. Handling disappointment with mindfulness and gratitude, the family pieces together a holiday full of new traditions, while still acknowledging that it's okay to miss the old ones. 

is a graduate of Hamline University's MFA program in writing for children and young adults and a writing teacher at the Loft Literary Center in the Twin Cities. Born in Minnesota, she now lives with her family in South Minneapolis. She is the author of Ten Beautiful Things, Just Us, Loon Baby, and Silhouette of a Sparrow.