Where the Orchard Ends

Some silences are louder than words. Some friendships are deeper than wounds.
Twelve-year-old Wren Harper hasn't spoken in seventy-three days, not since the morning she found her mother unresponsive. Now she's been sent to live with a grandmother she barely knows, on a rain-soaked orchard she doesn't want to call home.
Then Wren discovers a starving, injured Appaloosa mare trapped in a ravine. She names the horse Talowa, a silent creature as wary and wounded as she is. As Wren secretly nurses Talowa back to health, an unspoken bond forms. But when a stranger appears asking questions about a missing horse, Wren must decide just how far she'll go to protect the only soul who truly understands her.
Where the Orchard Ends is a quiet, emotionally rich middle grade novel about grief, resilience, and the healing power of animal friendship.
Perfect for readers who loved Because of Winn-Dixie, Pax, and The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise
A heartfelt story exploring:- Selective mutism and emotional trauma- Intergenerational family bonds- Rural life and the magic of horses- Grief, empathy, and self-reliance- Finding your voice when the world goes quiet
Ideal for readers ages 9–14 and a moving choice for classrooms, libraries, and book clubs.

Sefi Wells writes stories that grow like wild things; rooted in grief, gentled by animals, and lifted by hope. She spent her early years listening more than speaking, a habit she credits with teaching her the language of horses and the unspoken strength in people. Sefi's work explores the quiet bravery of young hearts navigating loss, identity, and connection, often with a weathered sketchbook and a four-legged companion close by.
She lives in Maryland with a small herd of animals who remind her daily how to listen better and move slowly. When not writing, she's often outside, tending to her creatures or watching the light shift through the trees.