The Forest in the Sky,’ by Pari Thomson, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli. – Library Girl and Book Boy

Introducing the final instalment in Pari Thomson’s award-winning Greenwild trilogy. Daisy and her friends have travelled from Kew Gardens, across the oceans, and finally to the Amazon Rainforest in the hopes of rescuing all they hold dear.

Make sure you read the exclusive piece from Pari on writing about the environment for young readers!

“With the support of the Iffenwilders and their mighty water magic, Daisy and her friends are finally setting off to rescue the Botanists held prisoner in the heart of the Amazon rainforest – including Daisy’s Ma. But when an unexpected attack sends the rescue mission spinning off course, Daisy and Max are separated, and Max shipwrecked on an impossible shore with no way of escape. Even Daisy’s arrival in Amazeria – the stunning Amazonian pocket of the Greenwild, teeming with green magic – is in jeopardy as the mysterious Great Reaper draws ever closer.

In the shadows of the great rainforest, it’s impossible to know who to trust. Daisy and her friends must draw on every ounce of courage they have to fight for Daisy’s Ma, for the Greenwild, and for everything they hold most dear.”

Pari Thomson on writing about the environment for kids

Hello, and thanks for coming on the blog!

Your books have been called ‘eco-thrillers’, and they have a strong environmental theme. How important is this element in your writing? 

Thanks for having me on the blog! The Greenwild books are fantastical adventure stories which have at their heart the idea that nature – in the real world, here and now – is magical and worth protecting with every inch of our courage and determination. The same idea lies at the heart of much climate activism. 

 How did you come up with the idea of using “green magic” – and what would your own green magic power be if you had one?

Green magic (plant magic) is central to the Greenwild, a place full of milk chocolate trees and lily pad boats and magical pomegranates capable of granting wishes. Of course, nature in the real world is full of green magic too – just think of the way a sunflower turns its head to follow the course of the sun through the sky. 

I think my own green magical power would be to grow perfect roses with the touch of a finger! I’d also love to be able to restore trees that have been cut down. 

 What inspired you to create Amazeria, the magical world in The Forest in the Sky?

Amazeria is a magical enclave of the Greenwild, tucked into the heart of the Amazon rainforest. It’s a place of wonders, with trees that rise above the clouds, along with magical fungi and enchanted waterlilies. 

Again, I was inspired by the real-life magic of the Amazon rainforest. The tallest tree in Amazon (an angelimvermelho) is taller than a 25-storey building. A single teaspoon of Amazon rainforest soil can contain over 250 species of fungi. And the giant Amazonian lily pad is big enough to lie down and take a nap on, with football-sized pink flowers that bloom for a single night and then vanish beneath the water. 

What do you hope readers will take from The Forest in the Sky?

I hope the books will show readers that – in the words of Greta Thunberg – no one is too small to make a difference, no matter how big the challenges we face. I hope it gives readers hope, and encourages them to look closely and celebrate the wonders of the natural world. 

That aside, I wanted to write a page-turning adventure story packed with all my favourite ingredients: friendship and jokes, alligators and boat chases, grumpy cats and tree houses. Most of all, I hope people have fun reading it! 

How do you hope this book will be used in classrooms and libraries?

I hope it will be an inspiring jumping off point for discussions about the Amazon rainforest – about plants, science, nature, botany and climate activism. I hope it will also spark creative ideas. If you could discover a magical world, what would it look like? If you could invent one magical plant, what would it be?

Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky by Pari Thomson and illustrated by Elisa Paganelli, is published by Macmillan Children’s Books and out now.

Thank you Pari for that insightful piece, you certainly have created a peril-packed adventure and call to action for young readers to stand up and make a difference.

Greenwild is just the right blend of magic, friendship, and wonder at the natural world to capture a reader’s imagination. And grumpy old Napoleon will forever have a place in my heart!

Jo.

*Many thanks to Macmillan Children’s Books for inviting me to be a part of this blog tour*