Halloween is over, the leaves have fallen from the trees, the first frost has turned the grass brown and the garden needs to be put to sleep for the winter … and no one wants to do anything except lie on the couch and watch the fire in the woodstove.That is … until they receive a phone call from Mr. Brown next door.It seems his older brother, who has been sick for some time, would like Mr. and Mrs. Brown with him in his last days.So Mr. Brown asks brother and sister’s family for help - and even though it is the first day of rest of November, they are ready to help however they can.And what they learn is that helping out friends is, in Mr. Brown’s words, precious.

Parent Note:This story does involve the prospect of Mr. Brown's older brother dying in the near future - which is why the Brown's need support from Martin and Sylvia's family.The language around this prospect is filled with gratitude and sweetness, but families who are careful about the subject of death may wish to listen to the story before sharing it with their children.