Nine-year-old Zuri believed that if she never said the word "dead," then Gran-Gran would just be "away on a long trip." She keeps her favorite photo, packs an extra snack for Gran-Gran's empty chair, and corrects anyone who uses the D-word. But when the family gathers to plant a tree in Gran-Gran's memory, Zuri is forced to face the truth. With the help of a grumpy old groundskeeper who lost someone long ago, Zuri learns that grief can feel like a heavy rock-or it can become the soil where something new grows. And sometimes, saying goodbye is the bravest way to keep loving.