A unique memoir of bicycling and healing.

Bob and Tammy Cranston met at a hospice-sponsored grief support group after each lost a spouse to cancer. Their relationship evolved when they individually signed up for ballroom dance lessons—they married in 2012, when Bob was 57 and Tammy was 51 (“We would not allow grief to consume us to the point that it would rob us of future joy”). On their bucket list was riding a tandem bicycle together in all 50 states. In 2013, they began that endeavor, riding a 10-foot long, navy blue recumbent Sun tandem on Cape Cod. Their adventures took them to places as diverse as the Golden Gate Bridge, New York City’s Central Park, and 21 national parks. The very few disappointing rides, among them the Cranston Bike Path in Rhode Island (“Our main challenge was dodging litter on our 20-mile ride”), were more than offset by many unforgettable experiences, including crossing paths with a moose in Alaska. They collaborated to troubleshoot mishaps, parsing sketchy trail information and dealing with misplaced wallets and flat tires. A 32-foot-long Winnebago Sunstar RV purchased in 2017 enhanced their travels, introducing them to a generous community of RV campers. Riding a tandem bike allowed for easy conversation, and the pair discussed the losses and other life disappointments they had experienced in addition to their joys. Due to health issues and aging, they decided to retire to Santa Rosa Island, Florida in 2021. (Their biking goal was reached in 2022 with a seven-state trip ending in Kansas.) Although brief in length, this book covers a lot of emotional and literal ground. The losses that brought the Cranstons together are examined succinctly without minimizing the accompanying pain and grief. The strong Christian faith that sustains the couple is reflected throughout in a gentle manner that makes their writing accessible to those of any faith. Engaging photographs and a concluding chronology of places visited add helpful detail.

An inspiring story of resilience and spirit.

A seedling learns life lessons as it grows into a tree in Cranston’s children’s book.

In this simple but thoughtful story, a seedling dreams of becoming a big oak tree—if only he can grow enough to pass the “Seed to Tree” ceremony that makes it official. His mentor Grandpa Oakey, offering wisdom and encouragement, reassures the seedling when he faces challenges. During a dramatic storm, when “Lightning flashes and the sky screams, ‘BOOM, BOOM, BOOM,’” Grandpa Oakey yells, “‘Stay rooted, little one,’” as the seedling fights to survive. This phrase will become especially meaningful when the seedling realizes it is his turn to take on the role of mentor. Wilting during a hot summer in the forest, the seedling wonders how he can “become a tree with a broken limb and droopy leaves”; Grandpa Oakley’s kind owl friends fly in buckets of water to help. With a dash of whimsy, Cranston teaches young readers about developing inner strength, respect, and empathy for others, and loss is presented as part of the natural cycle of life. Alternating with pages of text set against a light blue background, full-page, colorful digital illustrations offer playful and dramatic visual touches, including the trees’ expressive faces; whirls of heavy wind and jagged lightning bolts; and a possum, squirrels, and an earthworm helping the seedling in his “Seed to Tree” ceremony. (The book’s limited real-life plant lore includes the seedling’s eventual name, “Dendro,” which is inspired by Grandpa Oakey’s explanation of “dendrochronology,” the process of determining a tree’s age by counting its rings after it dies.) The text includes a “Discussion Questions” section that young readers can ponder or adults can use as conversation starters to engage children in expressing how they relate to aspects of Dendro’s experiences: “Dendro looked up to Grandpa Oakey. Who do you look up to, and why?”

Clear, age-appropriate, character-building themes about caring, loss, and change.