The Water and the Wild

A middle grade fantasy novel in which an orphan is pulled into a magical adventure. A green apple tree grows in the heart of Thirsby Square. Its leaves are a sad emerald and its apples a cheery peridot, and at its roots—starts the story of Lottie Fiske.
 
For as long as Lottie can remember, the only people who seem to care about her have been her best friend, Eliot, and the mysterious letter-writer who sends her birthday gifts. But now strange things and people are arriving on the island Lottie calls home, and Eliot’s getting sicker, with a disease the doctors have given up trying to cure. Lottie is helpless, useless, powerless. Until a door opens in the apple tree.
 
Follow Lottie down through the apple roots to another world—a world of magic both treacherous and beautiful—in pursuit of the impossible: a cure for the incurable, a use for the useless, and protection against the pain of loss.

Commended for Parents Choice Awards (Spring) (2008-Up) (Fiction) 2015

“The Water and The Wild is a debut children's fantasy that feels akin to the British childhood favorites I grew up reading--The Chronicles of Narnia, The Dark Is Rising, and Alice in Wonderland. So introduce your child to a modern classic in the making or read it yourself in nostalgic remembrance." --Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction -- -”

"A beautifully told fairy tale."-Booklist
"Engaging. imaginative."-Kirkus Reviews
"Every year on her birthday Lottie receives a letter granting her birthday wish from a magic apple tree in her front yard. So, when her best friend's illness takes a turn for the worse, Lottie asks for one thing, a cure to save his life. Instead of a letter though, Lottie receives two sprites who take her through the apple tree to their world. There she must weigh the importance of her friend's life against the lives of an entire world of sprites. A fun debut perfect for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia." --Brandi Stewart, Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ
"Humorous descriptions and vivid creatures. should keep many readers intrigued."--Publishers Weekly
"I can't wait for the next book by Ormsbee that will take me back to New Albion - land of sprites, wisps, barghests, and more magical beings. Besides the adventurous journey that Lottie Fiske embarks on, this book is, at its core, about our need for connection and friends. Whether you're a sprite or a halfling, we all want to be understood as well as be understanding." --Valerie Welbourn, The Fountainhead Bookstore, Hendersonville, NC
"Lottie was an orphan that had been adopted by Mr. Yates. Mrs. Yates was not in charge since he has passed away, and she did not care about Lottie. Outside Lottie's room was an apple tree, and she had found a box at the base of it. A picture of her parents was in it and a message. Lottie's best friend was dying and she was determined to find a cure for him. One night Lottie finds herself being taken into the apple tree and spirited away to another world. Great read! Her determination to save her friend, Eliot, takes her on a wild journey." --Sue Mason, Waucoma Bookstore, Hood River, Oregon."
"Readers may just turn to the first page and begin again."-School Library Journal
"Reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland and A Series of Unfortunate Events."--School Library Connection
The Water and The Wild is a debut children's fantasy that feels akin to the British childhood favorites I grew up reading--The Chronicles of Narnia, The Dark Is Rising, and Alice in Wonderland. So introduce your child to a modern classic in the making or read it yourself in nostalgic remembrance." --Jill Hendrix, Fiction Addiction

K. E. Ormsbee currently lives in Lexington, Kentucky. She lived in lots of equally fascinating cities before then, from Austin to Birmingham to London to Seville. She grew up with a secret garden in her backyard and a spaceship in her basement. This is her first book.

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