First published 2006
Comfort Snowberger knows death better than most ten-year-olds. She has sat through 247 funerals in her family's funeral home. When Great-uncle Edisto dies of a heart attack and Great-great-aunt Florentine follows six months later, Comfort thinks she understands how to handle grief. But other problems shake her world. Her wild cousin Peach drives her to distraction. Her best friend Declaration has stopped speaking to her entirely. Comfort cannot figure out what went wrong between them. She tries to make sense of the silence while navigating family drama and small town life. The funeral business has taught her about endings, but now she must learn about the complications of living. Wiles creates a cast of memorable Southern characters who feel completely real. Comfort discovers that friendship requires more courage than she expected.
Genres: fiction, family-life, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, slice-of-life
Setting: South
260 pages · Paperback · Clarion Books