A novel for children · in development
Ellie and the Whispering Tree
Seven-year-old Ellie Vale discovers that the ancient tree at the heart of her village is trying to speak.
Following its warning leads Ellie and her friends beneath Caorann Hollow, where they uncover a forgotten promise, a hidden guardian and a mystery that will change the way they understand their home.
What it's about
Listening. Friendship. Responsibility. The gap between hearing something and understanding it.
Ellie is the kind of child who notices things, and the story asks what happens when noticing isn't enough, when you have to work out what a thing means and what to do about it, and when the people you tell don't believe you.
The world
Caorann Hollow is a village built around a tree older than any of its houses. The village takes its name from the rowan, caorann in Gaelic, a tree that older stories planted at thresholds to keep watch.
Ellie and the Whispering Tree is the first of a planned series set in the world of Elaren.
Where it's up to
Now
The manuscript is with a professional editor for assessment, ahead of exploring traditional publication.
Written to be read aloud, and to be read alone by readers who are ready for a longer story.
Publishing enquiries: contact@mikeohalloran.au