Toni, the Little Woodcarver

"Toni, the Little Woodcarver" by Johanna Spyri is a story about a young boy named Toni who discovers his passion for woodcarving while growing up in a loving home after the death of his father. The story follows Toni from when he is a kid up until he becomes a young man, and it's about love, hard times, and never giving up. After losing his father, Toni's mom, Elsbeth, encourages Toni to work on his carving, and even after she sends him away to work to make ends meet, he keeps carving. When changes happen, things get hard for Toni, especially because of an incident with a big thunderstorm, which causes such bad fears that his mother sends him to a sanitarium to get better. During his time there, he and his mother get closer, which helps him heal. When he gets out, he is ready to start carving again, and makes the most of his new changes in life.