Andy Shepherd is an absolute genius at writing books to hook in those reluctant younger readers. Loved this as much as I loved her others .

This is a charming book for young readers which celebrates the wonder and playfulness of nature. With echoes of The Enchanted Wood and The Magic Faraway Tree, without being too similar, it has themes of blended families, friendship and an important eco message. I loved Andy Shepherd's representation of a partially deaf character and the joyful magic she has created thoughout the story. Expect, transforming trees, an acorn-living pig, animate animals made out of wood and a sharp-tongued councillor.
The story takes a little time to get going but once it does, there's fun and joy on every page.

lovely middle grade book.
the story was well written, and the characters were great!
illustrations in the book just made it for me.
8 year old me would have loved this book!

It is a cosy read about a young boy facing the challenge of moving to a new house and adapting to his new role as the elder step-brother. It is very heartwarming and beautifully illustrated. It is a bit of a slow burner though.

This book is beautifully written with lovely illustrations full of hidden faces. It tells the story of 2 step brothers who team up with a neighbour to investigate the wood behind their cottage. It reminded me of the magic faraway tree by Enid Blyton which was a favourite of mine growing up. Full of magic and wonder and a nod to looking after the planet, this is a must read for all young readers. Highly recommend.

#TheWoodWhereMagicGrows #NetGalley.

The Wood Where Magic Grows tells the story of Iggy and his new younger stepbrother, Cal, as the family move to a cottage on the edge of a forest. As they explore their new home, they discover the magic inside the woods as the trees play with them, bring wooden ornaments to life and ask for their help.

This is a very sweet book, with a lovely story and beautiful illustrations, which sets the magic in a world children will recognise around them. It’s an old fashioned style of story in some ways but the setting is modern – blended families, disabilities, moving house – and encourages children to look around them with imagination and curiosity. Lovely.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.

What a beautiful children’s book!

The writing and illustrations are wonderful. Having read a couple of books from The Boy Who Grew Dragons series, (and having the rest lined up ready) I couldn’t wait to see what this one was like.

I decided to read this ARC copy myself, without my son, as we love to read a paperback together and read a few chapters a night. I, as an adult, was captivated by this one! The magic and wonder of it, and found it very hard to put down.

The first thing my son will notice is the chapter titles. This is something he loves and I think more books should have!
The characters are all lovely and well developed, I love how this new family has come together and bonded. This book is about family, friendships, caring for others and the world around you, it’s about not judging someone by how they look or a problem they may have, but about being supportive and navigating things together.

All in all a wonderful book. I would definitely buy this for my son (6years old) and his friends.

The cover is enticing and the illustrations throughout break the text up nicely. These are definitely the sort of books that will encourage even the most reluctant readers.