Freddie Jones: The Mystery of the Troublesome Trees by Kate Foster

Title: Freddie Jones: The Mystery of the Troublesome Trees

Author: Kate Foster

Genre: Contemporary

Publisher: Walker Books

Published: 1^st February 2026

Format: Paperback

Pages: 256

Price: $17.99

Synopsis: Meet Freddie Jones in a new series full of adventure and mystery from award-winning author Kate Foster

Freddie, along with his trusty assistance dog Hobnob and Grandma Lilly, is off to join his parents at a luxury resort for his first ever holiday. He can’t wait to see the rainforest and its incredible and dangerous inhabitants like cassowaries and crocodiles.

But it turns out there’s more to explore – and in store – than Freddie ever imagined. The ecosystem is not behaving as it should, and noises, lights and sounds are popping up all around the resort, leaving behind a trail of mysterious and unexpected trees. Who, or what, is behind it?

Can Freddie, Hobnob and Grandma Lilly solve the mystery, or will it be too late?

~*~

Freddie Jones has autism, and he gets a lot of help from his parents, grandmother and wonderful assistance dog, Hobnob. He’s never gone on holiday because change has always been a struggle for him. Yet, he’s prepared to try and make this very first holiday ever work! He’s off to the Daintree Rainforest with his family, and he has all sorts of plans and hopes that things will go well.

Exploring is fun, and he’s keen to see the walkways and the visitor centre, and go on treks while his parents work. That is, until the ecosystem starts behaving oddly. There’s odd behaviour from the wildlife, strange noises, lights and sounds all over the place, and a whole lot of mysterious and unexpected trees. Fully grown trees popping out of nowhere all over the resort by tents, cabins, the pool, and around the walkways. But the CC-TV isn’t catching anything, and everyone is baffled!

With the staff and everyone else utterly confused, it’s up to Hobnob, Freddie and Grandma to find out what is really going on. It’s strange behaviour, and the strange smells are making Hobnob sneeze. Poor dog! Freddie and Grandma can go where others can’t as well, or overhear things as they try to unravel the mystery. This is the first in a series, and much like Kate’s other work, it features an autistic character who is allowed to be themselves. Allowed to use and need accommodations, and allowed to do the things they need to do to get through the day. And for Freddie, getting involved in solving the mystery seems to help him during this story.

It’s helping him manage how he is coping, but he’s also allowed to be who he is. Kate shows the reality that he faces as an autistic person and the reality his very supportive family faces when he has meltdowns or is overwhelmed. As he navigates this amongst the mystery, this is a great example of autistic representation. It shows one way of being autistic, one way of dealing with meltdowns or anxiety and one way of finding ways to navigate an autistic life. Which is what all of Kate’s books do – they give one way of being autistic through the main character, or each member of a ensemble autistic cast.

This book was a joy to read, especially because it had an assistance dog in it, so getting to see the different jobs an assistance dog can do was so interesting. As a Guide Dogs volunteer, I know a bit about it and I love novels and books that show what these amazing dogs can do for their humans. This is an element that makes this book an important book, amongst all the fun it has with the mystery. Understanding autism, disabilities and how assistance dogs can help people is important, and part of the work I do with Guide Dogs. So it is my hope that this book informs and educates as well as entertains readers.

I have read Kate’s other books, and I think this series is going to sit well with these ones on the shelf. It’s great to see her explore the different ways autism presents in different people and the different types of support or strategies they use to manage their days or get through the unknown. Bringing these themes together with the mystery makes this book work sing and work so well. I actually felt like I was in the humidity of the Daintree Rainforest, and the adventure was such fun that I think anyone who picks this book up will be enthralled. It’s a great #OwnVoices book, and I hope it flies along with the rest of the series, giving autistic people a voice.

This was a great start to a new series!