When a lonely boy’s mission to save his grandmother goes viral, it sparks a movement that reshapes his country town — and everyone in it. Ten-year-old Wren has always felt invisible. Mum is busy working two jobs, his brother has his own life, and at school, Wren hides in the library with the books his grandmother taught him to love. Grandma is the only person who truly sees him — until she has a stroke and is forced to move away to a nursing home in the city. Lonelier than ever, Wren writes to the Prime Minister for help. When no reply comes, his small act of hope takes on a life of its own — and Wren discovers he isn’t the only one who feels forgotten. As his town rallies around him, Wren learns that real solutions don’t come from politicians, but from the people who call the town home. A moving story about isolation, connection, and how one quiet voice can make a difference — echoing the warmth of Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds and the emotional honesty of Aster’s Good, Right Things.

Brenton Cullen is a Queensland author who writes stories from the heart for all ages.
He has written articles, interviewed authors and reviewed children’s books for Good Reading, CBCA Reading Time, Magpies: Talking About Books for Children and Books + Publishing. Brenton is the recipient of the 2023 May Gibbs Children’s Literature Trust’s Ian Wilson Memorial Fellowship and the winner of the 2024 Just Write for Kids Pitch It! Competition (Middle-Grade).He lives with his partner, a quartet of fish named The Supremes, eight house plants, and an ever-growing picture book collection. 

Visit Brenton online at www.brentoncullen.com and on Instagram @brenton_cullen

‘So, are you my dog?’ Mitch whispered, hardly daring to ask.

‘No,’ said Argos. ‘But you are my boy. For a time.’

Mitch’s life has been uprooted. Instead of the whole family moving to a new city, Mitch and his sister are staying with their gran while their parents are stuck on the other side of the world. As he struggles to fit in at school, with the Grade Five bully picking on him, Mitch knows the one thing that would make his life better is a dog. If only he could persuade his parents.

Then Mitch discovers an old oak tree that seems to … growl. And one night, a strange, majestic dog-like creature emerges from the trunk. His name is Argos. He has been bound in the tree by ‘history, mystery, magic and chance’ and he is here to help Mitch find his way.

While at first Mitch looks to Argos for friendship and protection, there comes a time he must stand up for this wild and magical beast. 

A heart-lifting tale of friendship, courage and belonging by three-time CBCA Award-winning author Fiona Wood.

Fiona Wood loves writing fiction for young readers. Her books have won several awards and been shortlisted for many more. They are published internationally. Fiona lives in Naarm Melbourne.