The Roughling
Alex Costa
Grace ThibaultSeptember 2026
AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER
"You must find the Key. You are the only one who can."
With these words, Ambrose Peters learns that the bedtime stories his parents told him are real.
On his twelfth birthday, he and his friends Stan and Aurora discover a curious note in the library of his home, an old estate in the heart of Toronto. When peculiar creatures start turning up, the three of them stumble on a mysterious world hidden in the wild spaces of their once-familiar city.
But Ambrose's time is running out. With an ancient menace closing in on him, Ambrose must find the key to save himself, his friends, and the extraordinary—and dangerous—new world they only just discovered.
The Roughling is an epic adventure teeming with mystery, friendship, action, unforgettable characters and perilous secrets.
Alex Costa has degrees in biology and dentistry from McGill University. Born and raised in the neighbourhood of North Toronto, she grew up near the ravines that inspired this story. She now lives in Montreal with her husband Mark, also a dentist, her two sons, and a big shaggy dog named Rookie who has excellent teeth. The first in a planned trilogy, The Roughling is her first novel.
Grace Thibault is an artist and illustrator who creates in both digital and traditional media. Passionate about concept art and character design, she enjoys drawing people and environments with warmth and creativity. When not illustrating, she can be found walking her dog Ellie, reading and spending time with her friends. Grace studied Illustration at Dawson College and lives in Montreal.