The Tunnel

By Sarah Howden, Erika Rodriguez Medina (Illustrator)

A boy digs a tunnel to escape sadness, finding solace and a path back home.

3.9/5 Goodreads · 186 ratings

32 pages

$18.95Save 5%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

After a troubling event, a boy feels overwhelmed and digs a tunnel to escape. In the darkness, he finds the space to process his emotions and recognize his family's love. As he returns, the journey transforms, revealing familiar comforts and a readiness to reconnect. When his mother notices a twig in his hair, he finds warmth in her gentle acknowledgment, signaling a new beginning. This poignant tale explores the healing power of distance and the journey back to oneself.

From the publisher

A spare, powerful story about taking space to process difficult feelings After something bad happens, a boy feels sad and gray. Mom and Aunt Cheryl try to talk about it, but he feels like running away. So he picks up a shovel and starts digging a tunnel from his room, deep down and into the backyard. Out there, far from the lights of the house, it’s dark enough that he could disappear. But the quiet distance also gives him the space he needs to see his family’s love and start returning home. As he heads back, the journey upward is different. He notices familiar details and tunes into his senses. The tunnel isn’t so scary this time. The boy emerges into his room just as Mom peeks in. When she notices a twig in his hair, he is ready to talk about the tunnel and finds warmth in her gentle acknowledgment: “You came back.” Quiet, emotionally resonant text is paired with grayscale drawings accented with red in this thoughtfully layered exploration of coping with tough emotions, and taking time and space to heal.

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