Min Barklin is a lumin. And a tree tender

Tiny enough to hide behind a leaf, Min Barklin is winged, curious, and anxious. She lives with her two mothers, her brother, and their Bark clan in the canopy of a suburban gum tree. Like all lumins, she is a tree tender.

On the day she discovers she’s a rare Intuitor, able to sense what’s coming, her inner world grows much noisier.

Voices begin to speak—bickering with each other and her, blurting odd prophecies. One nags, the other nugdes until they talk her into joining a rescue mission with a small, select crew.

Ottilyn, the megowl says…

Join Min’s Crew and spread the word

Far beyond her canopy, the ancient Silver Radiant Forest—a nursery for new life—is in danger. Zarklon, an underground power, has awakened and unleashed the Fearsome, a sentient fire-storming force bent on destruction.

Can Min’s new gifts and these chattering, intuitive voices save the forest before the Fearsome’s inferno destroy it forever?

From suburban branches to wild bush country, this is an adventure about courage, friendship and learning to trust who you are.

MIN BARKLIN and the SILVER RADIANTS is PUBLISHED!

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If Min’s story touches you, please leave her a review on GoodReads.

Join Min’s Tree Tender Crew

Hello parents, guardians and teachers, Min would be delighted if you’d join her crew. Just click the button below and fill in the form.

Submit your Tree Tender’s work

If your kids have Tree Tender Challenge work to submit, click the button below and follow the simple instructions.

DIG, SHARE

Lumin tears and human technology

We need to grow trees, not just plant them. Planted in their millions, they often die. Land Life trees technology changes that.

ACT, DIG

Powerful owls and megowls

Powerful owls are majestic birds. Their habitats are threatened, so they are moving into the suburbs. We must ensure they don't eat rat bait.

ACT

Add to the one trillion trees total

Take hope from the wonderful global initiative to plant one trillion trees.

Hi Sandy, It’s Amélie here. I’ve just finished reading your manuscript and want to thank you so much for involving me in this process. It was a very enjoyable read because the characters were really easy to relate to and it portrayed really important messages about the environment and mental health. The book has very vivid descriptions and I’m not someone who usually likes reading lots of descriptions but they were great. The depth of language makes me think you could pitch it at a wider audience as I think teenagers would understand it more than younger readers and would also be able to relate to the characters further. I really felt attached to the characters, especially Fitlin, and the relief I felt when Min and Fitlin were rescued was immense! Thanks again for this wonderful opportunity. Best wishes, Amélie

AMELIE14 years old

I think you have done an awesome job in creating believable characters and a plot that is well controlled and beautifully developed. The descriptive writing helps to place the whole thing in a world that is at once real and fantastical. Can’t wait to read Book 2.

NICKIEnglish Literature teacher

When can I read book two?

TULLY11.5 years

‘You have skilfully captured a whole eco-system, and the parallels between it and our bushfires, and Min’s world, and the complexity of it all. It was magical. But, also the ‘alarmingness’ of it all, which you made accessible to all ages. Once they were on their journey I was blown away. It gave me a whole other way to appreciate trees and a deeper connection to every being in our eco-system.

ADELESecondary school drama teacher