Tree Street Kids, book 5
Jack Finch’s plan to gobble up tons of turkey over Thanksgiving Break and work on the Tree Street Kids’ fort has been foiled. Instead, the Finches are traveling to the mountains of North Carolina to visit the grandparents Jack barely knows. Thank goodness his best friends Ellison and Roger are coming with him to the cabin on Brambly Bald mountain. But something is lurking in the forest, and soon Jack uncovers a secret bigger than Bigfoot. When the kids come face to face with a real threat, will Jack find a way to protect his friends? Jack braves danger, finds new branches on his family tree, and discovers what it means to be rooted in God’s big family.
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“Parents looking for wholesome books with memorable characters and a Christian worldview will be pleased with this series set in the mid-1990s. While the Tree Street Kids don’t save the world, they do impact their neighborhood with God-honoring choices and love. (Plus, the books are hilarious!)”
Marianne Hering, author of the Imagination Station series
“Eastep acknowledges the good and the hard of family in a way that honors younger readers—and also allows parents to step in and finish up the conversation she starts.”
Ashley Anthony, Story Warren
- Find out more about book 1, Jack vs. the Tornado
- Find out more about book 2, The Hunt for Fang
- Find out more about book 3, Lions to the Rescue!
- Find out more about book 4, Mystery in Crooked Creek Woods
- Book 5, The Beastie of Brambly Bald
- Find out more about book 6, Jack and the Red Giant
What inspired me to write The Beastie of Brambly Bald? After we moved to western North Carolina, I decided to set book 5 in this beautiful, wild place. Bigfoot folklore is as big in Appalachia as, well, a really big foot. While there is [SPOILER ALERT] no cryptid creature in The Beastie of Brambly Bald, the Tree Street Kids get themselves into a hairy situation. The book released in October 2025, only a week after the historic floods devastated the entire western end of the state. That terrible event caused the loss of lives, homes and businesses, and countless trees and wildlife. Within weeks, though, God led me to volunteering as a 21st Century Packhorse Librarian. | Read more!
REVIEWS & INTERVIEWS
“Through the eyes of 10-year-old Jack, Eastep wonderfully immerses readers of all ages in the sights, sounds, lilts, scents, and culture of Appalachia while also making it relevant for children from a variety of backgrounds. I most appreciate how the author tenderly addresses tough themes that her young readers might experience, like foster care, estranged family, parental unemployment, common fears and even why the family trees of African Americans are difficult to research.” –Carrie Schmidt, Reading Is My Superpower | Full Review
“Told from the perspective of Jack Finch, there are many reasons Eastep’s books will
appeal to the middle-grade reader in your life. For one, they include sketches and notes that
help construct the world these readers are entering. Fun! Second, they take complicated themes
in kid-friendly bites.” –Ashley Anthony, Story Warren | Full Review
FAQs
What are the themes in The Beastie of Brambly Bald? Family relationships, misunderstanding and forgiveness, foster families and God’s family, loving one another
What ages are these books for? 8-12 And is it scary? No! None of the books are meant to be scary. Sometimes the kids get themselves into harrowing situations that could be a little frightening to some readers.
What kind of science, literature, or history fun facts are in this book? Folklore, WNC flora and fauna, geneology
In The Beastie of Brambly Bald, readers visit the mountains of western North Carolina with the Tree Street Kids and meet a new character, Forks of Ivy. That called for a special “Fun with Forks” fun fact (which has nothing to do with utensils).
Do the books have illustrations? All the books have several illustrations (and cover art) created by the incredibly talented Aedan Peterson.
Do you have to read the Tree Street Kids series in order? Each story stands alone, but reading them in order is best. Readers will see the friendships grow as the stories progress from June of 1995 through December.
Are these Christian books? What does that mean? I’m a Christian and write from that perspective. Some of the characters come from that faith tradition, while others don’t. All the stories are told through the point of view of 10-year-old Jack Finch. He processes life as any kid would, thinking about what he believes and how it matters to his small world.
Product Details
- Publisher : Moody Publishers, Chicago IL
- Publication date : October 1, 2024
- Edition : First Edition
- Language : English
- Print length : 224 pages
- ISBN-10 : 0802433367
- ISBN-13 : 978-0802433367
- Item Weight : 6.4 ounces
- Reading age : 8 – 12 years
- Dimensions : 5 x 0.42 x 7 inches
- Book 5 of 5 : Tree Street Kids
- Grade level : 3 – 7
Amanda Cleary Eastep 