The Twigs Series
(in order, starting with the first book in the series)
Be sure to follow the links at the top of this page to Charles Tabb’s other books for more!
It's 1968 in the rural coastline town of Denton, Florida, and the only thing with a tougher life than twelve-year-old Jack Turner is a starving dog named Bones. When they meet while Jack is fishing, Jack knows that he and Bones are meant for each other, and he promises his oft-absent alcoholic parents that he'll somehow get a job to pay for his new dog's food and care.
In the process of finding work, Jack meets Hank Pittman, a middle-aged man who lives in a dilapidated school bus at the harbor, and Mrs. Mary Jane Dawson, an eccentric but kind older woman in need of gardening help. As Bones nurses back to health, Hank and Mrs. Dawson become the caring parents Jack never had.
But gossip and lies about Jack's growing relationships lead to an attack on Bones' life and questions about secrets in Hank's past. When Hank is put on trial for a crime he didn't commit, everything Jack holds dear is set in the balance of that small-town courtroom.
Floating Twigs is a timeless coming-of-age story about a boy and his dog, the responsibilities that come with loving others, and how sometimes one small moment can change a life forever.
FEATURED IN THE SEPTEMBER 1, 2020, ISSUE OF KIRKUS REVIEWS AS A RECOMMENDED CHOICE.
Jack Turner has returned to his hometown of Denton, Florida, to live there for the first time in eighteen years. Despite a career as a criminal defense attorney and the companionship of his new dog, Brinkley, Jack is haunted by what is missing in his life.
Whether it’s the unanswered questions about his brother, Rick, who never returned from Vietnam, or a budding romance with Jenny Walton, Jack is wary of getting close to anyone beyond a few trusted friends and his beloved dogs. But when he’s assigned to represent an old childhood tormentor for armed robbery, Jack is forced to re-evaluate his past and consider his own failings in dealing with others.
This endearing sequel to Floating Twigs takes an honest look at love and redemption as Jack discovers that finding twigs is more difficult than floating them.
A new town. A new life. What could go wrong? Plenty, as it turns out.
Fifteen-year-old Brandy Shaw, like most girls her age, deals with private demons. Forced to leave her hometown of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for Denton, Florida, she manages to forget the boy she left behind for a new one, Travis Daly. But Travis has his own problems that end up affecting Brandy in a number of destructive ways.
After a chain of events lead to tragedy, Brandy must defend herself against charges of a heinous crime. All she has in her favor is a growing understanding of the mistakes she has made and her attorney and friend, Jack Turner, whose own early life had its problems as well.
A story of love and redemption, Gathering Twigs captures the power of realizing we are worth more than we ever believed possible.
Thirteen-year-old Maureen Lindstrom has serious misgivings when her grandmother comes to live with her and her mother. They’ve never been close, despite living in the same town of Denton, Florida, where Maureen has grown up. Despite her hope that their relationship would improve, it doesn't start well and only gets worse.
Meanwhile, Maureen has a new friend, a boy named Nick, whose family has moved twice in the last three months, first from his lifelong home in California to Michigan, then to Denton. Worse, Nick is not allowed to contact friends from either place. When the reason for the sudden moves comes to light, tragedy ensues—a tragedy that leaves Nick wondering if life is worth the effort.
This poignant, honest, and reflective fourth book in the Twigs series continues to search for the meaning and rewards of love in its many forms.
Coming in May 2024: Burning Twigs
Paul Hanson's life is anything but ideal, but it gets worse when he is burned in a house fire that kills his mother. In addition to dealing with the pain and suffering involved in recovery, he is also ostracized by his peers and is being questioned about the fire.
His life takes a turn for the better when he is taken in by Jack Turner and his wife, Jenny. Jack had suffered an unhappy childhood himself and knows that Paul is going through more than any thirteen-year-old should.
However, when the investigation turns bad for Paul, he must rely on Jack and Jenny to save him from an even worse fate.
Burning Twigs is a book about learning to accept who we are and finding the beauty that exists in every life. Read the book several readers have said is definitely one of the best of the series.
The Kindle and paperback versions will be out in May 2024. Look for the audiobook in late summer 2024.