HERVEY Bay author Shelby Matheson is set to make her literary debut with the release of Elsewhere, the first instalment in a captivating new middle-grade fantasy trilogy published by Wombat Books.
Aimed at readers aged 10 to 14, the novel is already generating buzz for its imaginative storytelling and timely themes.
Set against the backdrop of World War I, Elsewhere follows eleven-year-old Elsie Clarke, a lonely Australian girl who is sent to Miss Coleridge’s Academy for Gifted Youths – an exclusive boarding school hidden deep in the forests of Wales.
Known for producing exceptional students, the academy accepts pupils by invitation only.
With war looming, Elsie’s parents believe it is the safest and most promising future for their daughter.
But life at the academy is far from ordinary.
Elsie struggles to fit in and is soon drawn into a mystery involving disappearing classmates, forgotten friends, and a peculiar English teacher, Madam Tryll.
Everything changes when Tryll reveals the existence of Elsewhere – a magical, sentient dimension resembling an endless forest.
Inside Elsewhere, students discover their unique Gifts – magical powers tied to their deepest traits, fears, and desires.
But the purpose behind these powers remains unclear, leaving Elsie to question what role she and her classmates are meant to play in this otherworldly place.
Just as Elsie begins to find her place, the academy takes a dark turn.
Miss Coleridge, the formidable headmistress, transforms the school into a military training ground, convinced that the children must help Britain triumph in the war.
Faced with losing their innocence to the harsh realities of conflict, Elsie and her friends must band together to stop the regime and reclaim their childhoods.
Elsewhere explores themes of identity, courage, and the fragile boundary between childhood and adulthood.
Drawing inspiration from beloved classics like Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Secret Garden, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Peter Rabbit, Matheson’s debut offers a nostalgic yet fresh perspective on growing up in uncertain times.
The novel will be released on 4 June and will be available in print, eBook, and audiobook formats through major online retailers and at their local bookstore or library.
Fans will have the opportunity to meet Shelby Matheson and pick up a signed copy at this year’s FraserPOP in July.
