A Timeless story Painted in Oil

Where the Wild Heart Grows

Written by Michael Allio
Painted by Luke Stretar
Interconnected fables rooted in the natural world — stories of dandelions, foxes, spiders, and streams, each a quiet lesson on resilience, letting go, and becoming who we are meant to be.
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About the book

Stories that Grow with you

Where the Wild Heart Grows is a timeless, illustrated collection of interconnected children’s stories that read like modern-day fables. Each tale is rooted in the natural world - dandelions, streams, foxes, spiders, trees - and uses simple, poetic storytelling to explore life’s most important lessons: individuality, resilience, letting go, self-worth, friendship, and love.

At its core, the book is about becoming. Whether it’s a dandelion who discovers beauty in letting go, a spider who learns strength from starting over, or a fox who finds healing in friendship, each story teaches that what we fear losing often becomes the very thing that helps us grow.

While written for children ages 4–10, the layered storytelling resonates just as deeply with parents and caregivers. It’s the kind of book families grow up with, returning to again and again at different stages of life.


Ages: Children aged 4–10 and the adults who love them

Format: Hardcover, 126 pages, lay-flat binding

Illustrations: Original oil paintings by Luke Stretar 

Price: $35

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Seven Fables. One Forest.

Universal Themes in Childlike Simplicity

Complex life lessons — grief, resilience, self-worth — distilled into playful, poetic metaphors that land with a six-year-old and their parent equally.

Interconnected Storytelling

Each tale flows naturally into the next, creating a cohesive journey through the wild — mirroring the connectedness of life itself.

Cross-Generational Impact

Parents will see themselves in the struggles and wisdom of these stories — making it a powerful read-aloud experience that sparks conversations long after bedtime.

Paintings, Not Illustrations

Luke Stretar's original oil paintings are not decoration — they are the other half of the story, tonal and soulful, asking you to stop and look slowly.

Old world storytelling

Told in soft, steady rhythms, like the forest itself, each story reveals the kind of truths we spend a lifetime learning.

Hand Painted Illustrations

The book features 35 original hand painted illustrations by Luke Stretar

A children's book written for adults

For the child who is discovering the world, and the adult who is learning to understand it again.

Michael Allio

Michael never set out to write a book — he just wanted to find the right words for his son after the loss of his wife in 2019. Those bedtime stories, written quietly for James in the years that followed, became Where the Wild Heart Grows — a reflection on resilience, love, and the healing power of imagination.

Michael lives in Akron, Ohio, where he enjoys spending time with his family, hiking through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and creating content on social media that helps others feel seen and navigate life's trials. Many may recognize him from ABC's The Bachelorette, where his openness and sincerity first resonated with audiences.

Today, Michael continues to advocate for cancer awareness, lead his company St. James Therapeutics, and share his journey as a father and storyteller with others.

Follow Michael's jouney on Instagram: @michael_allioL4

Luke Stretar

Luke Stretar is an illustrator and painter whose work is inspired by the quiet beauty of the natural world. His art brings a timeless, soulful quality to every story he touches — inviting readers to pause and see the wonder woven into ordinary life.

Painting in the tonal tradition — building form from dark grounds upward, coaxing light out of shadow rather than adding shadow to light — his work has the depth and warmth that only oil can provide. Each spread in this book was painted after weeks of sketching and correspondence, ensuring the paintings were not decorations of text, but extensions of it.

Luke lives in Ohio with his family, where he divides his time between teaching, painting, and exploring the world through the eyes of his children. His path crossed Michael's when their boys landed in the same classroom — a quiet beginning to a friendship that became this book.

Follow Luke's journey on Instagram: @lukestretar

For Booksellers & Retailers

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Where the Wild Heart Grows is available to independent bookshops, museum stores, gift retailers, and children's boutiques at wholesale pricing. We support independent retail and offer terms that make sense for the independent bookseller.

Wholesale Terms

Minimum opening order of 20 copies
40% discount off retail price ($35 MSRP)
Net 30 payment terms for established accounts
Free ground shipping on orders of 25+ copies
Full returnability within 60 days of purchase

Display & Marketing Support

High-resolution press images available on request
Michael and Luke available for signings and events
Print and digital catalog available

Art Print Wholesale

Wholesale terms also available for the giclée print collection. Contact us to discuss terms for galleries and specialty retailers.

International Orders

We welcome international retailers. Please contact us for shipping rates and customs documentation requirements.

Complete the form below and we'll be in touch within one business day.

✦ Frequently Asked Questions

  • Written for children ages 6–12, but the layered themes — resilience, letting go, self-worth, love — speak equally to adults reading along. Many parents quietly cry. Children just ask for it again tomorrow night.

  • It's an illustrated fable collection thats 120+ pages and contains over 30 original oil paintings from Luke Stretar. Each story stands alone but connects to the others, creating a larger journey through the natural world. Think of it as a suite of short stories that act as a bridge to more meaningful conversations with the ones they love.

  • Coming soon

  • Signed copies and signed bookplates are available periodically — check the shop page, or contact us directly. Michael and Luke are also available for in-store signings and community events.

  • Yes. The stories were originally written as bedtime lessons for his son James after the loss of Michael's wife to breast cancer in 2019. The book was born from that time — a father searching for the right words to help them both heal. That origin is inseparable from what the book is.

  • Luke accepts occasional studio inquiries from collectors. Please reach out through our contact page and we'll connect you with his studio directly.