Yes, it does sound corny because yes, I’ve always wanted to write a children’s book. This one snuck up on me after watching my friend’s granddaughter dramatically act out one of her adventures. (There were sound effects. I was sold.)
My story started with a big, very current idea… One of those lessons humanity probably should’ve mastered by now.
Writing it was enormous fun, though I quickly discovered how little I actually know about children! I adore all the characters, but Chard has my heart. She loves books, loves adventure stories, and (unsurprisingly) gets pulled into a very big one of her own.
Aimed at ages eight to twelve but equally suited for a bedtime story or classroom read, Whistle-by-the-Sea is a story for the generation who’ll inherit the world…and have to decide what to do with it.
No pressure.
So what happens? A lost rabbit, a sinkhole, and a cave full of mysterious relics tip Chard and her friends out of their peaceful lives in Whistle-by-the-Sea and into the unknown. There’s a dark forest, a mysterious quest for a special tree, and some rather sweet (but possibly suspicious) custodian creatures.
Secrets surface. Trust is tested. Sacrifices may be required. New children appear. Trust becomes…complicated.
In the end, the children of Whistle-by-the-Sea must choose: live in fear and suspicion or learn how to share their world, even when it’s hard.
Oh, and there are rainbow hedgehogs!
It’s out on April 1st, and you can pre-order here. I hope you’ll take this journey with me!
Karen Klyne 