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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
adventurous
informative
inspiring
relaxing
fast-paced
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
4 Stars
One Liner: Entertaining and informative
Twelve-year-old Caspia is not a fan of cities. She lives in Maine and doesn’t want to move to Brooklyn with her parents even if it is for just three months. However, she discovers a bundle of letters with riddles about plants and finds herself exploring the Green Kingdom, staying connected to her best friends, and making new friends in Brooklyn. Soon, Caspia realizes that home can be more than one place if you are brave enough to let the roots grow.
The story comes in Caspia’s third-person POV.
My Thoughts:
This is my first book by the author (though once upon a time I DNF’d book one of the Ink Heart trilogy). This is a standalone and a short read filled with the beauty of plants, friendships, and hope.
Caspia is an interesting main character. She is almost thirteen and happy in Maine. Naturally, the temporary move to Brooklyn that summer doesn’t make her happy. Her character grows from being set in her ways to becoming adventurous while worrying about ifs and buts. She also learns a lot about plants (from not knowing how an onion grows to caring for her little garden, it’s quite a progress).
Our MC’s best friends, Laryssa and Elle, have distinct personalities and are fun in their own ways. It is easy to see the bonding between the three girls and how they support and tease each other.
The new friends Caspia makes in Brooklyn are also lovely, be it Jemila, Mrs. Wahid, or Ado. There’s good diversity without making it the focus but also not limiting it to a checklist. The balance is just right.
Since the book’s core is Green Kingdom, we learn many intriguing facts and myths about different plants. The riddles in the letters are entertaining. I had a great time guessing them before Caspia. I got more than 60% right, so that’s a win. ;)
That said, there were two clues with Hindu gods, and I have never heard of those… like ever! These are not commonly known. In fact, I’m not sure if these bits really belong to our Puranas or were fabricated over the years through random retellings. I’m curious where the author found them.
There are black and white illustrations (pencil sketches) of the plant/ flower and a few important settings. The sweet illustrations elevate the content and make it easy for young readers to visualize the details. Of course, I still had to google a few plants (and realized one of them is a common plant in India but I had no idea about its name). (Clue: Some people partly consume that flower to taste its nectar.)
The pacing is steady, and the book is the right length for the target audience. However, I wouldn’t have minded seeing Caspia’s efforts to figure out the clues. Thanks to technology, she gets the answers easily. That reminds me how well technology is used in the book. We see the positive usage of technology in providing knowledge and helping people stay connected.
I have to mention Caspia’s parents, especially her mom. Boy, she loves to experiment with food! As a picky eater, I won’t be eager to try her dishes but I’m glad to see her determination and success. The adults on the whole are pretty responsible and good.
To summarize, The Green Kingdom is a lovely read about plants, friendships, and letting one’s roots grow. It is a cozy and charming read. Not much of adventure or danger but something on the emotional/ personal level.
Thank you, NetGalley and DK Children, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #TheGreenKingdom
adventurous
funny
informative
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Very cute! The plant riddles are lots of fun and sure to be a hit with kids who are curious about nature
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is such a sweet book!!
I absolutely loved this sweet adventure of plants and friendships and finding new versions of yourself. The ending was as sweet as I hoped it would be throughout the book, and I was so invested in the characters the whole way through.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!!
I absolutely loved this sweet adventure of plants and friendships and finding new versions of yourself. The ending was as sweet as I hoped it would be throughout the book, and I was so invested in the characters the whole way through.
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!!
funny
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This story was fun, adorable and utterly charming. I loved Cornelia Funke as a child but wasn’t sure how I would feel going back to her as an adult, but honestly I would read a whole series of books just like this one. It was such an enjoyable experience.
The riddles were my favourite part. I guessed four of them right (and was kicking myself over a fifth). They were easy enough to have a crack at without google, though the clues seemed like they’d be easy to search for so if anyone wants to do it that way, that’s also reasonable, and they were just so fun to try and guess.
I also loved how this book was so rooted in a love of nature. These books made me want to track down some of the trees and plants featured on my own!
The only thing I wasn’t sure of was the representation of the blind letter writer. From my own experiences with blind people, I wasn’t sure it was accurate that she’d be able to tell what plant is represented in embroidery just by feel. It doesn’t work that way.
Overall though, I was completely charmed by this book and would 100% read it again.
I was gifted this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Crossposted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk
I was gifted this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Crossposted to thewhisperingofthepages.co.uk
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Leave it to Cornelia Funke to take something as mundane as an interest in plants in Brooklyn and make such a fantastical tale. This covered a lot of ground and was so refreshing to read. It might have come across a bit overly simplistic and twee because of the way it touched on so many big topics in very few pages, but I found myself wanting to read more and more. I truly do think this would have been so special to read as a kid.
informative
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Thank you to NetGalley and DK Children for a free e-ARC of 'The Green Kingdom' by Cornelia Funke.
The Green Kingdom follows 12 year old Caspia who is staying in New York with her parents over summer. She isn't happy about this but quickly changes her mind when she happens upon some old letters containing riddles all about citizens of the 'green kingdom'. She meets new friends and comes to learn about and appreciate plants and the world along the way.
This was such a wholesome short read! I haven't read anything from Funke before so I went into this relatively unaware of what to expect, but I would've loooved to have a book like this when I was growing up. It was such a lovely mix of entertaining and educational. Although it is a children's book, I really enjoyed it and I can see how younger readers would appreciate the way the story is relayed. I learnt a lot myself! I also loved how this story dealt with some heavy topics, such as racism, sexuality, and climate change, in a way that was appropriate for the age of the typical reader without being condescending.
I am tempted to buy a physical copy when this comes out as the illustrations looked beautiful in the ARC, however couldn't be shown in all their glory on my kindle!
The Green Kingdom follows 12 year old Caspia who is staying in New York with her parents over summer. She isn't happy about this but quickly changes her mind when she happens upon some old letters containing riddles all about citizens of the 'green kingdom'. She meets new friends and comes to learn about and appreciate plants and the world along the way.
This was such a wholesome short read! I haven't read anything from Funke before so I went into this relatively unaware of what to expect, but I would've loooved to have a book like this when I was growing up. It was such a lovely mix of entertaining and educational. Although it is a children's book, I really enjoyed it and I can see how younger readers would appreciate the way the story is relayed. I learnt a lot myself! I also loved how this story dealt with some heavy topics, such as racism, sexuality, and climate change, in a way that was appropriate for the age of the typical reader without being condescending.
I am tempted to buy a physical copy when this comes out as the illustrations looked beautiful in the ARC, however couldn't be shown in all their glory on my kindle!
adventurous
hopeful
informative
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
So far my favorite middle grade novel of 2025. The main character's arc is satisfying, mysteries unfold enjoyably, secondary characters resonate and are diverese, and the plot's focus on botanical riddles keep chapters snappy. Readers looking for looking for adventure and history woven into a contemporary urban setting will enjoy this relatively short novel. -Bryan Loar
An uncorrected bound proof was reviewed.
An uncorrected bound proof was reviewed.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated