A Saving Place is a contemporary, middle grade, realistic work of fiction that deals with themes of childhood trauma and family mental illness. It explores intergenerational relationships and the potential that caring, involved adults can mitigate the traumatizing effects of parental mental illness on children. A Saving Place is accompanied by Frances’ original illustrations. Additionally, the book includes gardening tips and recipes.

Eleven-year-old Callie has been spending more and more time at The Growing Place neighborhood garden, even though that makes her mom, Terry, really mad sometimes. Even with her dad, Jake, working offshore and her brother, DJ, always with his soccer friends, Callie still feels crowded at home. With her mom’s extreme hoarding, there’s just no space for her!

At The Growing Place, planting and harvesting vegetables with her grandmotherly friend, Ms. Bee, Callie finds space. Space to breathe. Space to draw. Space to think. And especially space to escape her mom’s unpredictable temper and endless shopping binges.

But Callie has been hoarding a shameful secret of her own. Ever since that last explosive episode with her mom, she’s worried that she might have to tell, even if it hurts the people she loves most. And now that the fire has damaged their home and exposed Terry’s illness, Callie realizes that revealing her own secret might be the only way they can ever feel like a real family again.

This debut novel draws from Frances Boudreaux’s experiences as the child of a hoarder, a former advocate for battered women and children, a volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for abused and neglected children, and later serving as the director of a sustainable community gardening program whose focus was teaching children to grow food. Creating art and gardening are her therapeutic practices.

“Callie has long lived deep within me, waiting for a chance to find her saving place and to be heard. She deserves nothing less.” – Frances

Callie and Ms. Bee invite you to Order your copy of

“A Saving Place”