The Mortician’s Child surprises, horrifies, appeals to voyeuristic tendencies and, at the same time, tugs at our heartstrings. She’s a little girl for whom death is a very big problem. Her father scares her. There’s a casket with a stranger in it in their living room, a trip in a hearse to an insane asylum, and obituaries read with commentary to her during dinner (how easy it is to die). As she grows up, she shines a light into her father’s troubled behavior and, by doing so, shines a light into her own. While her story is probably quite different from yours, you’re likely to find elements of your own journey within these pages as you explore the challenges that come with growing up, appreciate the experiences that enrich your life, and learn to live more fully–here, six feet above.