Gold Nautilus Award  Mom's Choice Gold Award  Independent Press Award Winner  IAN Book of the Year  Readers' Favorite Gold Award  Moonbeam Silver Award  Readers' Choice Silver  Green Earth Book Award  CIBA Gertrude Warner Award Finalist  The Wishing Shelf FinalistWhat if a tree asked you to listen—and you did?Twelve-year-old Katie is sitting in class, ignoring her teacher, when the oak tree outside the window asks her to listen. She does—and that small act of attention is about to change everything.When an earthquake splits the ground beneath her feet, Katie falls into another world. There she meets Za, a sharp-tongued, purple-skinned alien who is just as lost as she is. Together they set out on a quest to find the Winged Ones — the only beings who can get them both home.Along the way, they encounter a shape-shifting tree spirit, a playful water god, elemental dragons, and nature beings whose wisdom is older than anything Katie learned in school. And shadowing every step: the Poison One, a force that turns everything it touches to ruin."e;Vividly imagined and lyrically told."e; —BookLife Prize"e;A bright, vividly told tale that will bring readers closer to the natural world."e; —Kirkus Reviews"e;An outstanding short work that packs a lot of punch."e; —Diane Donovan, Senior Reviewer, Midwest Book ReviewFor readers ages 10–14 who love adventure, magic, and stories that leave them thinking.