“The Magic Faraway Tree meets The Hobbit in this enchanting and refreshingly Australian tale. The reader is almost immediately drawn into the characters’ fantastical world where the magic and adventure begins. The two children are charming as they deal with more mature ideas in their own way. A confidence in the Australian identity shows that young readers all over the world will easily recognise. Blatantly slow in some parts and recklessly eager in others, however generally it is carved thoughtfully and deliberately. Overall, these pages are filled with warm messages for all of humankind. This is Australia’s answer to the world’s current obsession with magic!”
Ella Doonan
Story Outline
Whilst exploring their grandparent’s farm, two children are unwittingly transported to another place and time – the land of Dalriada.
Completely different to anything the children have known, it is a place that they could only have ever dreamt about. A haven for earthly animals in mortal danger, Dalriada is a colourful world of varying habitats.It is a place where animals can talk and guinea pigs have the ability to fly.It is also a place in which Pegasus, Elves, Bunyips, and Unicorns abound.
In order to return back to their own home, the children must first sway the balance of power in this magical land. By doing so, not only will they be able to protect its inhabitants and preserve its fate; but in the process, they will also come to realise more about themselves, and their special abilities, than they ever thought possible.
From the Story:
Overcome by brilliant sunlight, Rebecca shielded her eyes. As her sight adjusted to the changed environment, she became aware of her little brother who was crouched on the ground next to her. His eyes were wide open - his mouth agape.
“Wh…what just happened?” he asked, eyes unblinking.
Rebecca looked around cautiously - unable to comprehend her new, and very different, surroundings. She and her brother appeared to be at the edge of a forest.
Behind the children, towered a flat rock wall through which, Rebecca guessed, the pair had unwittingly arrived. Its smooth surface framed by a series of small ferns that cascaded earthwards like an emerald waterfall. Apart from this feature, the setting was lush and green in every direction, whilst masses of orange and black Wanderer butterflies flittered peacefully, seemingly oblivious to the new arrivals.
To the left of where Rebecca stood, the silver-white trunks of tall, straight birch rose from numerous grassy banks. Gatherings of golden daffodils stood in clumps at their bases. Straight ahead stood massive oaks and giant maples. The ground there was covered in thick, jade moss interspersed with various flowering plants that Rebecca could not identify.To her right was a eucalypt forest - blue, red and yellow gums; banksias and wattle trees - all in bloom. In the dappled shade beneath their soaring trunks, grevillias and bottlebrush flowered in various shades of red and mauve.
“It’s like there are three different forests in one,” murmured Rebecca, trying desperately to come to grips with her newly discovered circumstances.
Christopher blinked at the sound of his sister’s voice, but was otherwise unmoved.
“This is not Granddad’s farm,” she continued, looking around again. “In fact, this doesn’t look anything like the countryside of Coonooer Bridge.”
