Rowan was raised in the desert. Growing up all she’s known is sunshine, warmth, love. Then her beloved Dad dies, everything changes.
Now Rowan and her mum have moved from the hazy heat of the desert to the cold landscape of Ireland. Each of them hoping that living in the town Rowan’s Dad called home will bring them closer to him.
But as soon as Rowan arrives, she knows something’s not right. Why is it so cold even in August? Why do lights turn on without warning or kettles boil with no one pressing a switch?
Even more mysterious is The Wall. It surrounds the town, but no one can tell Rowan who built it or how long it’s stood, or why it’s forbidden to cross over to the other side. So, when she spots a crack in the stone, Rowan can’t resist the temptation to explore. In the woods beyond, she discovers a strange horse whom she feels an instant connection with, a bond that brings the return of warmth and hope . . . but at what price?
Eilish Fisher lives in the mountains of County Wicklow with her partner and son. She has a masters degree in early medieval Irish history and literature and a doctorate in medieval English literature from Maynooth University. Eilish’s poetry has been published in a range of magazines and journals and her debut novel, Fia and the Last Snow Deer, published by Puffin, Uk, has been awarded and shortlisted for multiple awards, including the An Post Children’s Book of the year, Senior Category 2024, the Eilís Dillon Award and the overall KPMG Book of the Year awards at the 2025 KPMG Children’s Books Ireland Awards. Eilish has received a Laureate na nóg mentorship from Children’s Books Ireland, a Word’s Ireland mentorship, and a full Literary Bursary Award from the Irish Arts Council.
David Rooney is an Irish illustrator best known for working in scraperboard — an engraving technique involving scratching away black ink from a chalkboard surface with a scalpel to reveal the white beneath. For The Waters and the Wild, written by Eilish Fisher, Rooney created 40 illustrations using pencil, a departure from his usual scraperboard technique.