Date Published: 10-27-2026
Publisher: Harmony Press
bullies, and cover up his limp by excelling at soccer. His plan flourishes
splendidly until fate intervenes, and a freak accident sidelines him with a
foot injury, grounding him from soccer indefinitely. In a moment of
exasperation, he bats a baseball, and his neighbor’s window is
shattered, which thrusts him into an unwanted alliance with the last person he
ever wished to befriend: Ti. The boy who is a bully magnet!
Ti’s aunt presents Max with a daunting choice to either confess to his
parents about the broken window or assist Ti in testing his invention, the
Quantum Locator. Little does Max know that the Quantum Locator possesses the
extraordinary ability to locate anyone, anywhere.
Together, with Max’s dog Ralphie, they stumble through a portal into a
realm teeming with supernatural wonders. From a forest ruled by a colossal
snake emperor to a mysterious Tree. Now, the boys must navigate their way
through this enchanting land. Will they survive to get home?
In this captivating middle-grade thriller, Leslie Cole examines friendship,
choices, and loyalty, maintaining suspense until the last page.
About the Author
Leslie Cole is the author of the Max & Ti series, including her latest
book The Snake and the Tree. She writes wholesome, hearty, and humorous middle
grade fiction for kids who wonder where they belong and feel too embarrassed
to ask. She feels a passion for the kids, including the adult kids, who need a
kind and encouraging voice of support. Her stories remind readers that our
deepest wounds don’t define us and that no one must face life alone. Her
publishing credits include publishing poetry in the Nashville paper “The
Contributor;” reading her poetry as the “Poet of the Month”
at the Scarritt-Bennett Poet’s Corner; having her poetry named
“Critic’s Pick” in “The Nashville Scene;”
publishing two nonfiction books as a physician in her fields of medicine; and
publishing a research paper as first author in the field of addiction
medicine. She lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with her husband Tim and their
dog. They enjoy the company of their adult children, grandchildren, nieces,
nephews, and extended family. She paints landscapes and still lifes, as well
as drawing the occasional illustration for her books. She continues to work as
an addiction medicine physician, where she witnesses the power of connection,
repair, and humans overcoming unbelievable odds.
https://mybook.to/TheSnakeandtheTree
