Ella and Alora And The Secret Drain

It’s summer vacation, and sisters Ella and Alora are trying to amuse themselves at their mother’s friend’s house while the grownups talk and talk and talk… They are running out of ideas to pass the time when they discover a very unusual drain cover out of sight in a secret patio. Made out of stone, with intricate carvings and handholds, it’s like nothing they’ve ever seen before. Desperate for adventure (or at least something to relieve their boredom), they remove the cover and find a mysteriously glowing staircase leading downwards. An apparently magical path that’s just begging them to follow it—How could anyone resist?

Holding tightly to each other’s hands, they start their journey and are astonished by what they find: an adventure more epic and amazing than anything they could have imagined, taking them to countries and continents all over the world! Even as they search for a way back to where they started (not wanting to worry their mother), they enjoy the amazing opportunity to experience these wildly different locations, everywhere from the deserts of Egypt to the ice floes of the Antarctic, and learn about them from their unexpected and colourful inhabitants.

A story just as entertaining as it is educational, Ella and Alora and The Secret Drain showcases the importance of friendship and family and of learning all about our amazing world so that we can start taking better care of it.

Author Kathryn O’Dwyer lives in a small town on a lovely piece of property with lots of gardens and room to wander. With a B.Ed. and an Hon. B.A. in English and Art History, and a Specialist Certificate in English Language and Literature, Kathryn, has found joy in retirement by pairing her love of literature, adventures and children of all ages, to write her first published book. The story was inspired by a real visit she shared with a friend and her three young daughters during which an unusual drain cover was found on her property, triggering the vivid imaginations of Kathryn and her young companions. Together, they are eagerly working to create further adventures for these fictional sisters.

As an avid reader, who has been able to travel widely with her family on extraordinary adventures, Kathryn hopes that her stories will inspire readers to use their imagination and take an interest in the wider world.