Children of the Province

In Children of the Province, young Aella and her little brother Tom are unaware of the adventures and dangers that life has in store for them. They enter service at Hearthstone Castle — Aella as a kitchen maid and Tom as general labor. As the Kingdom of Vasalia is threatened by intrigue and civil war, their little world of Hearthstone Province — a small, insignificant backwater — is plunged into hardship and sacrifice.

In the midst of this tale of personal and moral growth, the children come to learn some of the secrets of Vasalia’s history; they benefit from the library at Hearthstone Castle and the wisdom of others. As they wrestle with the complexities of real life — honor, foresight, love, sacrifice, death — Aella and Tom learn to recognize what is true, good, and beautiful.

In Children of the Province, author Jason Rogers, a translator and educator based in Michigan, uses literary realism in the genre of fantasy fiction to deliver a harrowing — yet believable! — tale of adventure, personal growth, and morality through the lives of Aella and Tom. The book features the warm, rich, hand-drawn illustrations of local Michigan artist Glory Bell.