Twelve-year-old William is involved in a horrible traffic accident and is so badly hurt that his young soul leaves his body. He sets off on a quest with his protector, Sam the archer. A quest to find the Tree of Life, the only thing powerful enough to bring him back to life. They travel through a magic country inhabited by amazing monsters and weirdly wonderful creatures. William meets a girl called Charlie, who also happens to be on her way to the tree. But the journey is long and dangerous and the children have to both be braver than they have ever been before. In addition, they are hunted by creepy soul eaters, evil ghouls that live off lost souls.

One of the main aspects of the book is the relationship and contrast between will and Charlie. Will has been raised in a nuclear family with his mum, dad and little brother. Charlie, however, is an only child and lives with her mum, who is an alcoholic. The book is mostly set in a magical world, but the reader also gets to follow Charlie's mum and Will's family at the hospital.

The Tree At The End Of The World is the first of this two-part series.