The Flickering Fields (The Twinklings and Lainie McDevitt)

Alone… on an exoplanet far from Earth

Twelve-year-old Lainie McDevitt is not an adventurer, even though her family is pioneering a planet millions of kilometers from Earth. When her parents leave for a short research trip to explore strange flickerings detected on the far side of the neighboring jungle, Lainie figures it’ll be like all the other times: a little bit of studying and a lot of younger-brother management.

But their parents don’t come back.

Lainie’s younger brother, Max, isn’t helping things either. He keeps insisting that those twinklings—those bubbles he’s befriended—might be able to help.

Lainie’s not convinced. She knows that she alone has to figure out what to do. Should they wait for their parents to return? Or should they try to make their way through the jungle to find them?

Making the only decision she can live with (she hopes), Lainie heads into the intervening jungle with Max. As they are challenged to find the courage, strength, and ingenuity to survive their hunt for their parents, Lainie gradually becomes aware that someone—something—may be hunting them too.

The Twinklings and Lainie McDevitt series is a continuing science fiction adventure story for lovers of the mysterious. Rooted strongly in science, the series explores first contact with alien cultures, adventures through space, and love of family and friends. This work of speculative fiction is ideal for upper middle-grade readers (10+), although the appeal of the series extends to readers of all ages.