Title: Rascal and the Hollow Tree
A tinkerer raccoon, a fearless fox, and a blue-eyed robot discover the light that can save their forest-if they're brave enough to use it.
Twelve-year-old Rascal can fix almost anything in his workshop den-except the ache of not knowing where he truly belongs. When his newest invention, a small blue-eyed robot named Ratchet, wakes up for real and a confident fox named Luna knocks on his door, Rascal's quiet life tilts toward the impossible. A warm pulse flickers at the back of his neck... and the ancient Hollow Tree begins to speak.
Shadows are slipping into Whimsy Wood-creatures made of living sadness that dim lanterns and hope alike. Guided by a gentle, cosmic current of light, Rascal and his new friends form the Skywatchers and set out across the Valleys of Golden Dreams, Fog of Despair, and Valley of Thorns. With a Rhythm-Stone that keeps brave hearts in time, Ratchet's metronome-true gaze, and a beam of boundary-cutting light, they'll build defenses, face the Devourer, and learn what it costs to speak a true name.
Equal parts wonder, humor, and heart, Rascal and the Hollow Tree is a middle-grade fantasy about friendship, chosen family, and finding your place in a very big universe.
Perfect for readers 8-12 who love inventive gadgets, luminous magic, and adventures with real feelings.