Eddie's little sister is very ill and he's been forced to stay with his uncle as his mum and dad make their frequent visits to the hospital.

He finds solace by taking walks into the forest beyond his uncle's home. It's a winter wonderland but there's a sinister note too. Though he befriends a robin and then a strange girl called Mari, there is also a monster among the trees that grows with the sad and angry emotions that Eddie voices.

Eddie's uncle is a wonderfully positive and enabling adult and through him and the ghostly, mysterious Mari, Eddie finds a way to make new friends at school and express himself through the music he loves. And he's equipped when Scarlet's big operation approaches to deal with all that may be in store.

Ultimately this is a book of happy endings. It's beautifully written and though it seems to be covering all the bases with magic, folk and ghost stories the backdrop to realistic family drama, it is handled well so that this book is full of riches.