Dusty in the Outwilds

Twelve-year-old Willia Agnie Dust, called Dusty, is used to her family keeping secrets from her. The most prominent one involves her aunt Meg, who ran away from home as a teen many years ago and is said to be “out wild.” After an argument regarding the fate of the family property on the edge of the Australian bush, Dusty impulsively sets out to find Meg, using an old photograph as her starting point. Accompanied by her best friend, Gus Fontes, and Gus’s six-year-old sister Nico, Dusty discovers a strange staircase inside a mysterious tree, which leads to a beach located in a spectacular landscape populated by creatures straight out of Dusty’s grandmother’s stories. When the trio are accidentally separated, Dusty finds her long-lost aunt, only to learn that all is not as it seems, and the place she’s named the Outwilds is both dangerous and endangered. Lush descriptions and thoughtful prose by Williams (the Narroway trilogy) bring the quietly fantastical setting to life, but the story’s real strength rests in its exploration of familial connection, lingering grief, and emotional bonds. It’s a gentle tale filled with wonder and a sense of healing. Ages 9–12. (May)