After the death of his twin brother, 7th grader Colton struggles with grief in this raw, sensitive look at a family’s loss.
A simple bike ride along main roads suddenly becomes the scene of a deadly hit-and-run when young Cade is struck by a car. His twin brother Colton sees it happen, seemingly in slow motion, powerless to intervene. Then Cade dies a short time later.
Colton and his parents reckon with a huge absence in their family. Everything—from mealtimes to school days—suddenly feels different. Colton struggles in ways that anyone who’s experienced a close loss, and a twin in particular, will recognize. Traumatic flashbacks are unpredictable and paralyzing, and Colton knows things will never be the same. But will they ever feel okay again? And does that mean he has to forget his brother?
The Intersection is an uplifting story about how we learn to hold love in one hand and sorrow in the other. Author Jerry L. Woodbridge sifts through the boys’ shared experiences with tenderness and carefully builds a world where Colton figures out how to go on without leaving his brother behind. The novel doesn’t shy away from showing a family in pain, tugging at the reader’s heartstrings while modeling how typical it is to feel this way after the death of a loved one. Throughout the book, small, unexpected glimmers of normalcy, like a class trip to the zoo, suggest that things may not always feel this intense and awful for Colton.
The Intersection’s appeal goes far beyond its middle-grade audience. It’s a compelling story that’s tightly written, fast-moving, and easy reading, with gems like “passing notes that sound like rumors wrapped in sugar.” Colton’s path is one we’ve all walked as mourners, and for anyone with a twin, the book may be even more important. Woodbridge’s skillful prose honors the bond between twins and the agony of their separation without becoming overwrought.
The dialogue is honest and straightforward, even in the awkward conversations, giving kids a no-punches-pulled look at what a family goes through after child loss. Not only is Colton grieving, but his parents are clearly grieving, too. Colton hears his mother cry; he sees his father leave for work earlier and get home later every day; and he overhears them talk about how they’re worried about him too.
Although these characters are ideals in how they learn to manage grief and receive the thoughtful support of others, none of them feel too good to be true.
This is book two in Woodbridge’s Loved Lost One series, but it reads well as a standalone story. This chapter of Colton’s life is told completely with no loose ends and a satisfying conclusion. Woodbridge’s realism elevates the book from an ordinary story into a helpful guide that could really make a difference in the life of a child (or adult, truly) navigating the death of a loved one.
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