The Green Kingdom

Caspia is not happy. Her parents have decided to take up an offer of work that will mean moving from their small hometown of Wilmerton to Brooklyn, New York. It will be for the whole of the summer break – eleven weeks. How will Caspia survive without her two best friends, Ellie and Laryssa? Of course, they can talk through their phones but… Then Caspia finds a bundle of letters. They date from the 1950s; letters between two sisters, one of them blind. This discovery sends Caspia on a quest to answer the riddles Rosalind sent her sister Minna, a quest that leads to the discovery of the Green Kingdom around us. These are the flowers and plants, many from across the world, often unnoticed that surround us, entwined in every aspect of life. It will also find her making new friends. Summer turns out not so bad. Indeed will Caspia want to go back to Wilmerton?

This is an attractive novel. Caspia and her family are very real and Caspia’s situation is one many will recognise; a change from the usual pattern of life. No great tragedy or trauma – just a temporary adjustment, uncomfortable, unwelcome. Funke offers a positive view of family life and relationships to be enjoyed. The letters do not involve any time-slip. The action is firmly rooted in the present, but the riddles provide the element of interest and discovery. There is the discovery of the plants themselves, their habitats and uses, the existence of Botanic Garden – unexpected places plants can be found. But Funke does more. Rosalind’s clues direct the young reader to discover mythologies, folklore, fairytales, the language of flowers, medicinal use and place in history. This is all done with a very light touch adding depth and different levels of interest in this engaging and accessible novel about friendships, opportunities and unexpected surprises. Without heavy didacticism, Funke encourages her young audience to observe the world around and engage with it and the Green Kingdom. A thoroughly enjoyable read that will be appreciated by young readers who do not look for fantasy but would rather remain in the world they know.