The Whispering Trees

"They call me a witch, Liv, and maybe I am, in a manner of speaking."

Olivia doesn't believe in magic. No sensible person does. So why, when the family moves to Devon after her dad's accident, does the hill speak to her?

The hill's guardian, Annie Tilke, can't - or won't - explain.

At school, sparky Sadie takes Olivia under her wing, but what about smouldering Robert Enticott and devoted but hopeless Wadsy? Are they friend or foe?

Olivia's dad is not getting better and her mum wants to move back to the city. But for Olivia, telling her parents she wants to stay in Devon to become a vet is the least of her worries. Old Annie's tormentors are becoming more menacing, the natural world is in trouble, and the mysterious voice on the hill has an urgent message that only Olivia can interpret.

Advance Reviews

"The Whispering Trees is a terrific book: at once haunting, witty and witchy, with the tang of the real to it as well as the shiver of the uncanny. Here are shades of Susan Cooper, echoes of Michael Morpurgo, all in a living landscape set just askew from what might be expected."

Robert Macfarlane, author of

The Old Ways, Underland, The Lost Words, etc.

"A thrilling tale about growing up, finding your own path, connecting with nature, and respecting our planet."

Maria Oliver, author of

Once Upon a Time, You ...