Evan and the Everlasting Tree

Some trees grow into the sky. This one chooses who may climb.
Twelve-year-old Evan Pierce has always felt that something was quietly calling to him. In the town of Willowmere, everyone avoids the towering Everlasting Tree - a colossal giant whose branches vanish into the clouds. But when a glowing staircase opens in its bark, Evan becomes the first child in generations to be invited inside.
High among the branches, Evan discovers hidden civilizations, strange creatures, and other children who have been chosen by the tree. Each step upward tests not his strength, but his kindness, curiosity, and courage - while shadowy beings known as the Hollow Ones lurk among the roots, waiting for climbers who lose their way.
Evan and the Everlasting Tree is the first book in the Roots of Infinity series, a magical adventure about wonder, bravery, and the quiet power of believing in the impossible.