Clete Barrett Smith creëert fantasierijke verhalen voor jonge lezers, die vaak thema's als avontuur en het buitengewone verkennen. Zijn schrijfstijl wordt gekenmerkt door een speelse toon en levendige vertellingen, die lezers meeslepen naar werelden vol verwondering en opwinding. De aanpak van Smith is geworteld in een diep begrip van kinderlijke nieuwsgierigheid en de spanning van ontdekking. Zijn verhalen prikkelen de fantasie en vieren de kracht van vriendschap en moed.
Unhappy at being sent to stay with his hippie grandmother at the Washington inn she operates, The Intergalactic Bed & Breakfast, Scrub discovers that each room is actually a portal to space and the inn's visitors are aliens who are vacationing on Earth.
Kirra, a curious, agile, and outgoing girl, lives in an idyllic community hidden inside a dormant volcano. She and her father are the only two people allowed to venture beyond its walls. Kirra is in training to become a Storyteller like him, and together they travel from village to village spreading fearsome tales designed to keep outsiders away from their secret nest. One day, after hearing rumors of strangers called the "Takers," Kirra leaves the volcano by herself, hoping to discover her own story. But she unknowingly leads the Takers back to her doorstep, and they rob her of everything she has ever held dear. A devastated Kirra is found by a boy named Luwan and adopted into his family, which lives among others high in the trees of a dense forest. Now quiet and withdrawn, Kirra hides her dark past from everyone and never wants to leave the safety of her tree dwelling. Luwan, on the other hand, loves to explore. One day it leads to trouble: He is captured while spying on a group of strangers. The Takers have returned. To save the Tree Folk, Kirra must face her inner demons and summon all her storytelling to weave the most important tale of her life. This compelling novel about overcoming loss, embracing community, and living in harmony with nature is highlighted with a full-color insert of concept artwork, making it perfect for family sharing.