For readers of ages 9 and up Twelve-year-old Ariel knows that if a friendly tree gives you advice, you should take it. Unfortunately, unlike her best friend, Zeke, she hasn't the talent for speaking with trees. So when she finds a mysterious relic in the woods, leafy warnings only confuse matters, and she assumes the telling dart is merely an artifact from a forgotten age. But when the dart gets Ariel kidnapped, she realizes her discovery was no accident. If she's clever enough to escape, perhaps she can also unravel what the dart can reveal about a legendary treasure and her own startling calling.

2009 Cybils Award Finalist, middle-grade fantasy and science fiction category Gold Star of Excellence, TeensReadToo.com

"At once elegant and lyrical, while also offering an intensely paced and action-driven plot for readers who are seeking adventure." — Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"An absorbing fantasy... The story offers crisp dialogue, an exciting plot and strong secondary characters.... A hopeful contribution to post-apocalyptic literature." — Kirkus

Read the first chapter (requires Acrobat Reader)

Inspiration
My travels in both Ireland and New Zealand inspired this book. In particular, charismatic boulders near Queenstown and impressive trees in the Christchurch botanical garden began speaking to me. When I listened, Ariel and Zeke and their stories began to take shape.

I was recently interviewed on blogradio about this book, courtesy of Suzanne Lieurance of Book Bites for Kids. To listen, download the MP3 file (7 MB).




Coming from Bloomsbury in March
Under the eye of a sinister moon, Ariel discovers a baffling map. Determined to follow it, she and her friends embark on a dangerous mission to discover the source of her telling dart before an ingenious trap set in the past can erase Ariel's future.

"Good and satisfying, just like the first. Joni Sensel knows how to tell a good story." — Becky's Book Reviews Gold Star of Excellence, TeensReadToo.com

My own farwalking trip
I recently returned from a walking adventure in England and France, where I walked more than 650 miles and was inspired to write what I hope will become the third book in the Farwalker series. Check out my adventures on my Farwalking blog!