Greenwild: The World Behind The Door

In the words of my 8 year old daughter who absolutely adored this book:


-- I loved this book because I loved the adventure and how well paced this book was. My favourite character was The Prof because when others weren't always thinking logically, she would jump in and make their plans work. I loved the nature in the book and it was really easy to imagine the world as the characters saw it. This was a really really really really good book. 5 stars, everyone should read it.--

High praise and she has already re-read it!

In the same vein as the likes of Hannah Gold, this book encapsulates the stunning art of old school storytelling that will captivate you whether you're 8, 38 or 88!

There's a lot of talk about this upcoming series and no wonder! Greenwild: The World Behind The Door is superb. Aimed at a middle grade audience, it is a portal fantasy which focusses on 'green magic', with echoes of the secret garden.

Daisy has spent her life travelling from place to place and living in her mother's shadow. But when her mother embarks on a trip alone and doesn't return, Daisy's world is upended. Escaping boarding school, she follows the only clue she has and discovers the door to Greenwild.

Taking refuge in this magical world, awestruck Daisy begins to make friends who agree to help her in her quest to find her mother. For she is not the only one missing and it soon becomes clear that the Greenwild and the world beyond is under deadly threat and everyone has something to lose.

Rich and imaginative with enthralling descriptions, this is a story that reaches out with it's magical tendrils, takes root in your heart and mind and pulls you in to a fully immersive adventure. From tropical glasshouses to larder trees to a sighing forest to carnivous plants, each chapter is a jungle of discovery and delight. There's safety in the arms of Artemis and deadly danger in the form of Craven. Mixed with a menagerie of friends and animals, a moonlight market and dangerous missions, it made me feel I was curled up in the safe branches of an oak tree one minute and facing a poison-tipped arrow on the next.

The ecological themes are clear to see throughout the novel: the destructive impact humans have on the planet, the urgency needed to turn things around and the grief of what we have already lost. Yet, through the world of Greenwild, Pari Thomson celebrates the wonder and beauty of the natural world and, through the magical elements of the story and the amazing descriptions, brings a fresh sense of awe, hope and possibility.

Daisy is a great main character; uprooted, uncertain but driven by the love for her mother. Her peer group are fun and endearing and her burgeoning friendship with Hal reminded me very much of Colin and Mary in the secret garden. There were moments when I wondered how the plot was all going to fit together but, rest assured, the end brings twist and twist, proving that nothing has gone unplotted.

As a reader and a lover of fantasy, there is nothing more exciting that being introduced to a new world and this is something truly special. The illustrations by Elisa Paginelli bring an extra spark of joy and I highly recommend this to competent middle-grade readers, teenagers and adults alike.

What a fabulous read for all ages. Daisy is the young heroine of this fantasy for kids which in my mind is a real contender for the gap left by Harry Potter, The authors writing just sucks you into a magical world and on the ride of a lifetime.
Set in a parallel world entered via Kew Gardens, where animals and nature combine to create magic and magical plants abound. Daisy is likeable and empathetic, brought up by her slightly unconventional Mum, she has travelled the world with her whilst she works as an investigative journalist. But this one last time she insists Daisy can't go with her and leves her in a boarding school which Daisy hates.
When her Mum is reported missing, Daisy embarks on a quest to track her down and, accompanied by her sassy little kitten whom she names Napoleon, she enters a magical and thrilling world for an amazing adventure.
I can't wait to read the next book in the series, especially as this one ends on a sudden cliffhanger.

Everything they say about this book is true! A spectacular debut. A mesmerising eco-mystery filled with twists and turns and infused with green magic. Loved every second. TAKE ME BACK TO THIS WORLD!

Take a pinch of Eva Ibbotson, mix it with a sprinkling of J. K. Rowling, a dash of Enid Blyton and a healthy dose of Jessica Townsend - what do you get? You get Greenwild, the first book in Pari Thomson’s eco-fantasy series.

To put it simply, this book is superb. The world-building is exceptional: Thomson’s creations leap off the page and are so evocative that one can see, hear and smell every sight, sound and scent of the Greenwild. Daisy is the perfect protagonist - she’s likeable, children will identify with her and she possesses the qualities and attributes of a true hero.

My favourite series as a child was The Magic Faraway Tree and, for me, reading the Greenwild was like returning to the Enchanted Woods, but with the added bonus of a more gripping storyline. I also loved the theme of environmental awareness, which provides the backbone to each and every element of this story.

It’s a truly remarkable book, which is sure to win an army of fans. I very much look forward to seeing how the series progresses and adding Greenwild to my classroom bookshelf. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC, which I very much enjoyed.

What a cracker of a book, absolutely perfect for MG readers with exciting characters, imaginative lands and a fast paced storyline. I really hope this will become a series as I cannot see kids being happy with just reading one, we all want more!!

I can't tell you how much I LOVED this book. It's SO unique. Green Wild stole my breath for it's clever twisty plot, unique setting and huge finale. Even better, the writing sparkled with magic. I'm already desperate for the sequel.

What a gem of a book! This reminded me of all of the reasons I love reading books from this genre. What if all of the imaginary creatures you've ever read about were actually real?
From the very beginning, you will find yourself wondering, along with Daisy, did I see that or did I imagine it? You are immediately filled with the sense that things and possibly people are not as they first appear to be. The amazing illustrations perfectly complement the vivid descriptions and will leave you wanting to know the answers.
If I could have a super power, green magic is definitely the one I'd want to have.
I do hope there will be a sequel!

Although this book is pitched at middle grade readers, the story was equally loved and enjoyed by the whole family (6 - 72). It is great to have a book that we could all read together and everyone getting something meaningful from the story. Waiting for the next installment already.

This was sublime, it was such an imaginative, magical and beautiful story. I loved Daisy, Greenwild, the mystery, everything. I loved the idea of magical botanists and explorers. Huge thanks to the publisher for the gorgeous ARC.

What a wonderful, spellbinding and touching middle grade story this is! I loved the world building and the way all of the strands of the story knit together in unexpected ways. With a strong yet un preachy message about the joy to be found in nature and our responsibility to protect it, I engaged with this story so much and felt drawn in to this magical world beyond Kew Gardens (which is a magical place in itself).

LOVED this from start to finish and already I cannot wait for a second book! The theme of nature running through this book makes this stand out from other middle grade fantasy stories out there and just gives this a wonderful big eco-friendly tick! The settings and the world building of Greenwild were stunning, and I want my very own larder tree! The action was cleverly thought out and paced throughout, with lots of twists and turns to add suspense and confusion over who exactly is the 'spy'! And what a way to finish!!
Daisy is a wonderful main character who follows her heart and I just loved her. Perfect for middle grade and everyone else too. This could be as huge as Harry Potter. LOVED, LOVED, LOVED!

**Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read an advanced e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own **

Daisy has her mother to find and villains to escape as she sets off on a fantasy adventure. This book reminded of stories I enjoyed reading when I was a child and would be perfect for the suggested 8 to 12 year age reader. As a parent I would have happily recommend this to my daughter to read when she was that age, and as an adult fantasy reader I enjoyed the thrills and spills and look forward to reading more about Daisy’s adventures. Thank you to MacMillan Children’s books and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

The story of an epic journey, Greenwild will appeal to any number of readers, particularly those interested in magic, mystery, adventure, and the everyday wonders to be found in the mysterious world of plants.

Daisy is a young girl with an Iranian mother, and a British father who has since passed. She still has a treasured memento from her father, a paperweight that she carries around in her pocket.

Daisy's mother is a well-known journalist who travels the world collecting news stories, and Daisy has led a nomadic existence with her remaining parent for most of her life. Indeed, since she was 3 years old.

But now, for the first time, Daisy's mother has to leave her behind at a boarding school in London, because the story she is covering in the Amazon is too dangerous to risk taking a child along. She promises her daughter that she will return in two weeks, but just before she is due to come and pick Daisy up from the school, her mother's plane goes down in the Amazon with all four passengers missing.

In the meantime, Daisy has discovered
that the boarding school is not what it seems and she is in terrible danger. Several of the adults around her, including Daisys mother's boss at the newspaper, appear to be involved in a conspiracy against her mother.

Unable to tell friend from foe at a time when nobody can be trusted, Daisy takes the mysterious kitten that has been following her around for days, and runs away from school. She is heading straight for Kew Gardens, where her mother once instructed her to go "if anything goes wrong".

But the villains have had the same idea. Desperate to escape their clutches, Daisy stumbles upon a hidden entrance to the secret world of Greenwild in Kew Gardens, a place where the strangest, most wonderful plant life flurishes. But it too, is under threat.

Can Daisy find a way to help protect this precious world? And can Greenwild help Daisy to find her way home to her lost mother and her longed-for life of freedom?

This book provides excellent world-building to accompany a really engaging story. The illustrations are beautiful, and add a great deal to the reading experience.

This would be a great choice for those who are seeking to stimulate a child's imagination, as well as their interest in the world around them and the issues that affect them, such as climate change. Highly recommended.

I cannot find any fault in this novel: great world building, the eco-message, green magic, fast paced, lovely characters, excellent storytelling.
I loved it and it's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

I cannot put into words how much I loved this book. Pari is an amazing writer. Her world-building is thorough and well thought through, but she also leaves space for the characters' inner world and feelings as well as great adventure and high stakes.

The story begins with Daisy, our protagonist, starting out at a new boarding school while her incredibly cool journalist mum is off to the Amazon forest to cover a big story. But within days Daisy realises there's much more to her mum's story, as well as the boarding school she feels she can no longer stay at, and escapes with a little cat that found his way into her bag. Her destination is Kew Gardens: where her mother told her to go if she ever were to be in trouble. Kew Gardens opens her to a place where nature has a life of its own, and botanists can control and work with it. That place is Greenwild, divided into many pockets around the world, and is where Daisy will make friends for life, learn about nature's secrets and find all the answers she needs, not only about her mum but of family history...

Interweaved into this story is an important message about looking after our planet and how some humans' actions can create great irreversible destruction.

This is a great book for children with big imaginations, but also adults who love imaginative writing and looking after the planet. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book and will be gifting this to all the young people I know.

Daisy lives a semi-nomadic life with her bold, globetrotting, Mum, who's always chasing the next big news story. But when Mum takes on a big story in the dangerous Peruvian rainforest, Daisy has to go to boarding school. Daisy escapes when Mum goes missing and finds a portal in Kew Gardens into a magical botanical world, Greenwild, where she discovers secrets about her Mum and who could have taken her.

This book had great potential, with nice writing and many beautiful and magical aspects. Although most single Mums wouldn't take on a job that's really dangerous when there's no other family to care for their daughter, the opening is intriguing and the stakes pull you through the story. Once Daisy steps into the Greenwild the plot stalls. The ideas and the botanical world are full of wonder and imagination, but many characters are introduced too quickly with few distinct features so it is difficult to follow who they are or care about them and although there are pangs of guilt about finding Mum the plot slows right down. This writer is bursting with ideas and imagination, but needed more editorial support to hone the focus and pace. Children will love the world, but this is for younger readers aged 8 who love reading and nature, but are capable readers with stamina and patience. A glorious world but needs some character and pace weeding.

Portal fantasies aren't new. The most well known is almst certainly Narnia, where the portal took the children to somewhere completely other. Series like Harry Potter, meanwhile, placed their secret new worlds into gaps and hidden spaces in ours, bringing them closer to us. Greenwild is closer to Harry Potter, with the Greenwild itself hidden in pockets of our world, invisible except under certain circumstances.
The worldbuilding is amazing here, with details and ideas and tiny throwaway sentences that make the Greenwild as real and lived in as our world is. Of course, a lot of those throwaway details come back later on and turn out to be important! Pari has a real gift both for description and for embedding details that seem like just part of the atmosphere at first, but turn out to be important later.

I love Daisy's group of allies (especially Napoleon!) and can't wait to read more of their adventures as the series continues. I was really pleased to see that, although there are some story threads continuing on, there's no cliffhanger here; the main story is wrapped up and everyone is left in a good place, more or less.

Kids are really going to enjoy this, and I can't wait for the TV adaptation. Someone's looking after that, right?

This was a great read. Really captivating and exciting. The story grabs hold quickly and keeps you wanting to know what's going to happen next.
I did feel a little like it took too long to get to the point of the story, but it was worth it, and in the end, it didn't really bother me that the lead up was a bit longer, as the main story is so good.
The characters are really good, each with their own little quirks.
The world created is interesting and magical.
I liked the set up for the sequel at the end, and i think i'll have to keep an eye out for it being published too, as I have to know what happens next!