In GETTING NEAR TO BABY, Willa Jo is nearly thirteen and Little Sister is seven when their baby sister dies suddenly. The family is devastated: Willa Jo feels guilty, Little Sister stops talking, and their mother begins painting pictures of Baby going to Heaven. To give Mom some time alone, it's soon decided that the girls should stay with their Aunt Patty for awhile.

Aunt Patty means well, but she's not used to having children around. She has a rule for everything! And she's so busy being bossy that she doesn't realize how much Willa Jo and Little Sister are hurting, and how much they miss their mother.

Finally, pain and confusion catch up with Willa Jo and Little Sister. One morning they climb onto the roof to watch the sunrise and they don't come down. The neighbors are curious, and Aunt Patty is embarrassed. But Willa Jo would rather stay on the roof than explain her unusual behavior.

GETTING NEAR TO BABY is an insightful book about the many ways a tragic event can turn lives upside down. It is also a warm portrait of sisterly love --- the kind of strong bond that can help to heal a broken heart.