Magnolia Rising

In the Lowcountry, there is a special place between the land and sea where creatures live and sea grass grows on a floor of mud and sand.

At school in the Lowcountry, Magnolia the blue crab, who goes by Maggie, doesn’t fit in. But her luck changes when she meets Aster the anxiety-ridden heron, another outsider who is often teased by the other marsh creatures.  

Maggie’s friendship with Aster brings her to new heights when he saves her from a bed of water snakes. Before she knows it, she’s clutched in Aster’s webbed feet, flying high above the marsh and enjoying it in all its splendor. But when these two misfits share with their peers the story of their daring adventure, instead of being praised for their bravery, they are mocked and accused of lying.  

When Maggie and Aster identify an approaching hurricane, the marsh creatures must abandon their assumptions in order to face the challenge bearing down on them. Ultimately, the community learns to put their faith in this steadfast duo, outcasts turned heroes who save everyone from sure disaster. With themes of friendship, adventure, and resilience, Magnolia Rising encourages young readers to remember the value of believing in themselves and embracing what makes them unique. 

Since his earliest days, Brian Moriarty has been enchanted by the timeless beauty of the South Carolina Lowcountry. Though he calls Cleveland, Ohio, home, the pull of the Lowcountry has drawn him back year after year since the 1970s—first as a young traveler with his parents and now alongside his wife, Ellen, and their children. An attorney by profession, Brian possesses a love of music and nature that brings a sense of harmony and wonder to everything he does, inspiring his creative pursuits and deep connection to the world around him.  

These passions are woven together in his debut children’s book, Magnolia Rising, a creation lovingly shaped in collaboration with his family. In a world filled with complexities, Maggie and Aster’s story unfolds as a tender reminder of life’s most precious truths: the magic of self-belief and the unbreakable bonds of friendship. Set amidst the sandy marshes of the coast, Maggie and Aster’s adventures reveal that even the tiniest creatures can weave wonders, proving that, with a little help from friends, even the smallest hearts can leave an extraordinary mark on the world.