The Diary of Wiska Wildflower The New School

In a return to the world of Wiskling Wood, first explored in her Victoria Stitch stories, Harriet Muncaster, much-loved creator of the Isadora Moon series, introduces a brand new character, Wiska Wildflower. Wiska is a Wiskling and notes on Wisklings at the book’s opening tell us everything we need to know about them, babies to grownups, with particular attention to their mode of transport, appearance and fashion sense!

Little Wiska and her parents have just moved into Twitching from Acornia, on the other side of the wood, and, like everyone, is nervous about starting a new school and making new friends. Wiska loves nothing more than drawing, painting and creating things, and two classmates, Cleobelle and Primrose quickly invite her to help them with their fashion magazine. It seems like Wiska has made friends already, but some things about the two make Wiska uncomfortable, particularly the way they laugh at her drawings of Zinnia and Tulip, the miniature inhabitants of a world she created with her Acornia best friend Luna. As the story unfolds, readers will come to realise that Wiska deserves nicer, kinder friends, especially after Cleobelle and Primrose try to sabotage her chances of winning the Spellbrooke City Fashion show. These small characters have fully rounded personalities, and Wiskling friendships and rivalries will be completely recognisable to readers. The books also describe beautifully the joy and satisfaction of creating and illustrating your own stories while the miniature world of Wiska, her friends and family is drawn so perfectly we could walk it. This is another lovely series from a deservedly popular author, with all the trademarks that make her books so successful while full colour illustrations make it even more special.

Read our new Q&A with Harriet Muncaster.