For twelve-year-old Tom Walker, life on his grandfather's remote farm on New Zealand's South Island is safe but stifling. Lonely days stretch into lonely years, with only his neighbour Victoria and his Gramps to keep him company. But as Tom's thirteenth birthday approaches, the quiet isolation he's come to know begins to unravel.
A shattered mirror, a crushed truck, and eerie growls in his favourite forest. These are only the first signs that something is wrong—and that Tom's world is far bigger than he ever imagined.
When Tom learns that his parents were part of Zealandia, a magical society hidden beyond the Southern Alps, his world explodes with colour and wonder. At its centre lies the Dreadstones Grasp, a powerful necklace tied to his parents' deaths. Now, the dark sorceress Thallium is hunting for its power, and shadows threaten everything Tom holds dear.
With Victoria and new friends by his side, Tom must leave behind his quiet, lonely life and step into a vibrant world of magic and danger. Along the way, he'll discover that the family you choose can be just as powerful as the family you've lost—and that even in the darkest times, you don't have to face the shadows alone.
Zealandia: The Dreadstones Grasp is a spellbinding story about friendship, magic, and discovering that the things you've always been missing may be closer than you think. At approximately 77,000 words, this immersive tale will captivate readers of all ages.
