In the final chapter, Grey faces escalating racial tensions on the reservation, marked by confrontations with local boys. His father’s unexpected purchase of an old school bus reveals a plan to convert it into a mobile home, symbolizing a fresh start for the family. As they depart from the reservation, Grey embraces a sense of hope and new beginnings,
In the move from the Christian House to the Indian reservation, Grey faces an unfriendly town and yearns for the friends left behind. Amidst the challenges, he finds potential friends. A daring rescue in the creek forms a bond with the community, but the longing for the past and familiar faces persists.
ust before February dawned, Dad dropped a bombshell—they were leaving the Christian House. In those last days of January, the family grappled with the impending move, emotions swirling as they prepared to bid farewell to the familiar walls and cherished memories of their soon-to-be former home.
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy The Svensonn family owed the old hotel. They were a big family; a dad, a mom, and a whole mess of kids. How many, it was hard to say. It all depended on the accuracy of one's counting – it took Grey a few days to finally decide that they...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy The evening cooled, chickadees and grasshoppers finished singing for the day. The last doves mourned the falling of the sun, their low, solemn voices echoing down the mountain slope. The air took on a touch of autumn, a hint of cold to...
In the remote mountain home of Grey and Asher, a fierce wildfire disrupts their solitude, drawing neighbors together in a shared battle against the flames. The arrival of Grandpa and Grandma brings joy and laughter, leaving an indelible mark on the mountain landscape. Subsequent visits from other relatives introduce moments of anticipation, shared adventures, and unexpected hilarity, creating a vivid tapestry of mountain life.
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy It was a fine summer day, the sort that defines the season in people's fondest memories. Blue sky, hot breeze, and bright sun. Church was over, and Dad called Grey over to the truck. Mom, Bethany, and their new baby brother were patiently...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Something rumbled. Grey cocked his head. Was someone coming to visit? The noise was low, filling the house like the distant roar of a large truck driving up the mountain. Somehow, different. Maybe bigger. Mom was working in the kitchen....
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Twittering, always incessant twittering. Tiny black and white chickadees swarmed Sally's dog bowl at the base of the large pine tree that stood tall, just outside the front door. Sally was nowhere to be seen – she was probably sleeping...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy The winter months found the boys playing with their new bow whenever they could. On cold days when the arrows were all lost, they stayed indoors and drew pictures of airplanes, rockets, and space ships. Mom would get out the scissors and...
In the chapter “A Christmas to Remember,” Grey and Ash, living on a mountain, experience a transformative holiday. The narrative revolves around the introduction of a special candy dish, its irresistible allure, and the boys’ struggle to resist its temptation. The dish becomes a focal point, symbolizing the rare sweetness that makes this Christmas truly unforgettable for the mountain-dwelling family.
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Crisscrossing the mountain were a myriad of paths; winding and twisting like shredded lace across patches of windblown mountain grass. They ran through low areas, where cool aspen forests drank spring water that soaked up through the...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy The mountain rested. Summer wound down like a falling helicopter seed – spinning its last spins as it rode the breeze. It was a loss of sorts. It could never go back up, but the fall was a beautiful thing. Ash and Grey were wandering the...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Grey sat on the ground on the hillside behind the little mountain house. He was working hard, oblivious to his surroundings. The rubber treads on the yellow tin bulldozer turned as he labored over a roadbed cut into the side of a mound of...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Grey's red face had healed in a few days, and the painful embarrassment faded as classmates gradually found other things to talk about. Girls stopped tittering whenever he walked by, and Grey's social status gradually changed from “your...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy That summer, Dad decided it was time to move into the house. It wasn't quite like other houses; you could see boards and insulation on the inside – but it was finished enough to live in. It had been wall-less; bare to the wind and weather...
This is the promo video for Growing Up Itchy. Music by Eddie Mathews
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Winter faded to nothing, and the white aspens around the spring blossomed with pale green leaves. The snow melted away, making the ground damp underneath its mat of last year's grasses. The yellow buttercups were back, and they sprinkled...
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy The mountains rested. Wintertime had come and the aspen leaves waited on the ground to receive their covering of snow. Grey and his family moved down to Curlew, a tiny town at the base of the mountain, where they were to live in a house....
Buy the book Growing Up Itchy Grey stepped out of the trailer door, letting it bang shut behind him. Mom was inside making bread with Ash, and Grey's tummy growled. He was ready for lunch. He ignored the tiny gnats flickering around his head and reached for his...