Plants, Botanic Gardens, Botany, Botanists, Kew Gardens, London, Nature, Magic
Greenwild: The World Behind the Door
by Pari Thomson
Key information
Author: Pari Thomson
Illustrator: Elisa Paganelli
Release Date: 19th January 2024
Star rating: ★★★★★
Book type: Chapter, 416 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Reader level: v Confident (9+)
Age: Year 5+
Overview
The story follows Daisy Thistledown, a courageous and curious young girl who stumbles into a hidden world called the Greenwild—a lush, magical realm where nature is alive in ways she never imagined. The Greenwild pulses with wonder: plants that shimmer with power, creatures born of leaf and vine, and an energy that ties all living things together.
After her journalist mother mysteriously disappears while investigating an environmental story, Daisy is left in the care of distant relatives and begins to suspect that her mother’s disappearance is no accident. When she is suddenly pursued by shadowy figures who seem intent on silencing her, Daisy flees and discovers an enchanted greenhouse tucked away in London. This greenhouse is no ordinary place—it serves as a secret portal to the Greenwild.
Once inside, Daisy is swept into a world of wonder and danger. She learns of a hidden society of Botanists—gifted children and mentors who use ancient plant magic to heal, protect, and preserve the balance of the natural world. As Daisy begins to uncover her own surprising magical abilities, she is drawn into a dangerous mission to stop a dark force seeking to corrupt the Greenwild and exploit its magic for power. Along the way, she forms deep friendships, faces difficult choices, and begins to understand the true power of nature, courage, and hope.
Key concepts/themes
- Family
- Independence
- Personal growth
- Friendship
- Nature
- Environmental care
Considerations
- Death
- Loss of parent
Curriculum links
Science -Botany, botanists, plants, nature, environmental protection, wildlife, ecosystems
Additional teaching opportunities
1. Writing
- Narrative (fantasy)
- Setting description! (There is a wonderful use of descriptive language and techniques - especially similes and metaphors - which could support Y5/6 writing development)
- Character description (Sheldrake, Indigo, Ma)
- Letter (To Mum after not picking up from boarding school)
- Newspaper report (about missing Botanists)
- Article (written as Ma)
-Travel guide (to any country visited by Ma and Daisy)
- Journal (Daisy or Ma)
- Diary entry (Daisy at boarding school/Greenwild)
2. Geography
- London, Kew Gardens
- Iran
3. Art
- Botanical artwork
- St Kew gardens
- Observational artwork (plants)
- Collage using natural resources
- High contrast work (half Greyside, half Greenwild)
Vocabulary
| Tier 2 | Tier 3 |
|---|---|
| riotous, crystalline, disreputable, politician, extraordinary, election, diplomat, bespectacled, avant-garde, imperturbable, revellerse, sagely, enterprise, crenellated, uproariously. | constellation, Cassiopeia, chrysanthemums, orchid, blue bell, beech, oak, gernanium, ivy, clematis, wistera |
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