Jennifer Toren

Into the Tunnel and Through the Woods Jennifer Toren

Going to school has always had its challenges, but going to school knowing you're going to be bullied puts a whole different perspective on life. Into the Tunnel and Through the Woods is, in part, a true story of an 8-1/2 year old girl named Lilly who has been bullied since the first day of kindergarten, almost four years ago. She has always struggled to fit in, but her size and young looks has kept her from feeling as if she really belonged. To add to that, Lilly learns from her parents that she was adopted as a baby. Lilly struggles with her own identity and is filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and questions trying to make sense of why her birth mom would give her up for adoption. All that changes when she meets Mary, a foster child who has run off from the orphanage, and her guardian angel. Just when Lilly thinks her life is about to take a turn for the better, she finds herself alone and fighting for her life. Her clubmates, however, are forced to take a good look at themselves, but are given the opportunity to make amends.