Ansel Hilliard doesn't need anyone. He doesn't need friends. He doesn't need family. At least, that's what he's always told himself.

But when the troubled boy moves in next-door, Ansel finds himself drawn into a lifelong friendship he never thought possible. As they grow together and dare to allow others into their hearts, they find that the turbulence of life doesn't always have to destroy you.

Inspired by the author's background of living with bipolar disorder, The Ladder is a story of self-discovery, and learning to face – and embrace – the darkness we are all afraid to admit lies inside of us.