The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

This haunting tale centers around the childhood memories of a middle-aged man returning to his home in Sussex, England, to attend a funeral.  Driving aimlessly after the service, he ends up at an old farm where he used to visit the Hempstocks--a young girl, her mother and her grandmother, witches all, who were welcoming and supportive during a time of family struggles and strange happenings. Sitting by the small farmyard pond, he sinks into a reverie where he recalls a tenant's suicide, the appearance of a scheming and suspicious housekeeper, and an evil and destructive spirit that threatens to use him as a portal into his increasingly fragile world.  Only the Hempstocks, particularly young Lettie, can help him.  The author blends fantasy and myth with a story grounded in familiar tragedy--a family in financial difficulty, a father with a wandering eye, and a lonely, vulnerable boy who finds comfort in books. In these few (180) pages, one can find the power of friendship, sacrifice, and childhood resilience.