At seven, almost eight, Keene can''t understand what''s wrong with Mum. She lies in bed in the spare room, wasting away, even though she''s hooked up to a bag that is meant to make her feel better. Dad describes Mum''s illness like ''a darkness inside her''. But Keene''s sure something else is responsible.

He''s sure it''s the shadow that''s killing her.

So Keene decides to go on an adventure into the bush with just his Border Collie, Bunch, in tow - an adventure that he''s sure will save Mum.

But even Keene is not prepared for the dangers he faces.

The Shadow in the Wind is a story of adventure and magical realism as Keene deals with and learns to reconcile events he''s too young to fully understand.