The Birthday Room

Benjamin Hunter gets two things for his twelfth birthday: a freshly renovated room in the attic from his parents and a letter from his uncle, Ian, whom he hasn't seen in nearly ten years. Ben is lukewarm about the room . . . but the letter! It's an invitation to visit, and Ben has an unexplainable urge to see-and know-this man who's been estranged from the family for so long. That is, if Ben's mother can let go of an old grudge long enough to let him have his wish...Beloved author Kevin Henkes delivers a stirring novel about a family ready to give and to heal-and to give again.

When twelve-year-old Ben visits his uncle in Oregon, he feels caught in the strained relationship between his mother and her brother while he also begins to accept himself as an artist.