Roger and Adelia are the very best of friends. They've spent many
springtimes collecting birds' nests, autumns jumping into piles of
colorful leaves, and winters building snowmen. When the time comes for
Adelia to move away, the two friends must say good-bye. But Adelia has
one parting gift for Roger: She will teach him, once and for all, how to
climb a tree. Lyrical and colorful, the narrative flips between Adelia's
instructions ("hold on tight," "move up when you're ready") and her
packing list (things they loved to play with, things they were supposed
to throw away). By the time the moving van pulls up, Roger is ready to
start his climb. But now, he's afraid of "letting go." In a sweet
reveal, we learn that Adelia has left behind a soft landing, making sure
that--for Roger--falling is the easiest part.