Root & Wing

The trees saw the crime. The bird heard the name. Only the boy can tell the world. In the fog-drenched valley of Vesper's Reach, eleven-year-old Silas Thorne experiences the world through vibrations instead of words. The earth speaks to him in pulses and metaphors—Sun-Thirst, Deep-Drink, and now a chilling new warning: the Silver-Choke. Something unnatural is poisoning the land. Silas can feel what is wrong, but he can't name it—until help arrives on ash-grey wings. Marley, a sharp-tongued African Grey parrot with a photographic memory and a talent for quoting overheard conversations, once belonged to Silas's late grandfather, a legendary botanist. While plants cry out in pain, Marley remembers exactly who caused it—and repeats their crimes word for word. Together, they form The Root & Wing Agency, an unlikely partnership racing to uncover a developer's secret pollution scheme before the valley's ancient heart—the Vesper Matriarch, a towering willow older than memory—slips into a fatal Long-Sleep. Blending environmental mystery, gentle magical realism, and emotional storytelling, Root & Wing is a story about listening—to the land, to the forgotten, and to voices that are usually ignored. Perfect for readers who love: Nature-centered fantasy Eco-conscious adventures Emotionally rich middle-grade fiction Stories with intelligent animal companions Thoughtful, lyrical prose with heart A quietly powerful novel about truth, stewardship, and the courage to speak for those who cannot.