When twelve year old Caspia is told she's spending the summer in Brooklyn she's devastated. Having to leave her friends and small town behind to spend 12 weeks in a city is not something she wanted to do. Until she finds a bundle of letters addressed to the previous occupant of the house they're staying in. Caspia sets out to solve the riddles in the letters discovering new plants and making new friends along the way and discovering that anywhere can feel like home if you put down new roots.

I'm not really the target audience for this book but I loved it. I enjoyed solving the riddles alongside Caspia and watching as she made a whole host of new friends along the way whilst also managing to include her old ones. This is definitely a book I'll be sharing with my children when they get a bit older. Highly recommend.

This has such a beautiful cover that I couldn't not mention it straight away!

I have heard of Cornelia Funke before, and I do have her Inkheart series on my wishlist, but this is the first of her books I am reading.

My digital version, unfortunately, didn't have any clear illustrations and so I cannot comment on Melissa's work, but if they're anything like the description written down, they're going to be beautiful. Cornelia has gone into so much detail about everything - the sounds of the city, the smells of the fumes mixing with the smells from the local spice shop, the sights of exotic trees - it's all so well done but not over the top. Children get bored easily and so it would be quite easy to go too heavy into the detail and lose their attention but I think it's a good balance. And - this is an assumption so please correct me if I'm wrong - but I believe Tammi is an expert on all things plants and so I imagine a good amount of the detail comes frrom her expertise.

This book is a love letter to nature, plants, flowers, trees, gardens etc. Which I loved. I don't think people, kids included, really realise the importance of the natural world. And I wonder if that's why Cornelia has set this book in a busy city, full of cars and fumes, only to have Caspia find a botanical garden, find letters about flowers, house her in a floral-decorated home. It really accentuates the importance of surrounding yourself in nature.

Caspia is our main character; this is her history and she's fabulous. As someone in their 30s, it can be hard to relate to a 12-year-old girl, but she's so well formed that she just leaps off the page. There are a number of other characters including:

- Her parents: Her father works in construction and we don't get to know him too well, and her mother is working on a cookbook, and she was just lovely. I really enjoyed reading about her culinary attempts.

- The local shopkeepers: We meet two in particular, the elderly lady who runs the spice shop (Mrs Wahid), and the young girl who runs the local flower/book shop (Jemila) with her aunt. They both play wonderful roles in this book and work really well to further Caspia's journey on.

- And then we have her friends: She has two friends from home (Laryssa and Ellie) who she worries will forget about her and so she tries to keep in touch. So we don't get to know them in too much detail but they're there for Caspia. And then she meets a young boy (Ado) whilst at the botanical gardens and whether it's a friendship or more, he was also a great way t help further Caspia's story.

I loved the story device of using these old letters; it adds an element of nostalgia to the book which was a nice touch and helped with it's whimsical natural feeling.

It was a quick read, read over a few hours. It reads so well, the words flow so well, and it brings a smile to your face. You can't be anything other than content and happy when reading it.

I received an early e-copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really heartwarming, sweet little book. I enjoyed Caspia's journey of self discovery and how she learned to appreciate plants and the Green Kingdom. The riddles were fun and I loved the illustrations. A really great middle-grade book :)

A gentle book with puzzles and lots of connections to plants. I was hoping for a little more from this - perhaps some excitement - so didn't love it as much as I thought I would.

Caspia complains about having to leave her rural home to spend the summer in New York, she'll miss her friends and hates the noise and crowds. Things begin to change when she finds an old bundle of letters sent from one sister who is travelling with her father to another who lives in their apartment in New York. The letters contain clues to identify plants, Caspia goes out into the city in search of the answers and finds friends along the way. its exciting to accompany her on her adventures as she finds out about plants and the community around her.

Really nice book. I liked Caspia and the letters were really interesting. I read Inkheart years ago.
I can imagine a child would enjoy this.
I has good characters and follows, puzzles to be solved.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

A wonderful book about secret letters / riddles for the main character to solve. I loved the botany / plant focus as well. Atmospheric, magical and an interesting read . I will recommend this to my students.

I have to confess that this is the first Cornelia Funke book that I have ever read. But I am sure that this is but the beginning of a long shopping and reading list of Cornelia Funke books.

It is a truly magical and heartwarming book. I love the way the riddles are part of the storyline and the reason behind the existence of the riddles is very valid, so the riddles do not appear to be a deliberate contrivance, a gimmick to get children engaged and to position the book in the market. The riddles are there for a reason and they help readers learn more about plants.

Cute, cosy and fun to read! I loved the riddles and botanical aspects of it. Personally, as a teenager I found it just a little boring to read but I would definitely recommend to children 12 years and under/middle graders.

I really enjoyed this story. I am not the target audience for it as i am in my 50's, but i love reading childrens books as they are focused on story and adventure.

This is the story of Caspia Turkel who has to spend 12 weeks of her summer vacation in Brooklyn as her father has been given a short term job there. They rent a small apartment and Caspia finds a bundle of 10 letters written 50 years prior between 2 sisters. Full of riddles that Caspia tries to solve it takes us on a sweet and charming tale through Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, local spice and flower shops, and is full of whimsy and charm.

A great read, full of magical possibility which is what great childrens books should be.

Have ordered the signed hardback from Waterstones now and i will re-read again in the future.

I would like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I enjoyed this book and read it to my granddaughter who is 6yrs old and she loved it too. We enjoyed all the friendships that were made but most of all we loved the magic which was so alive it felt like it was coming off the pages.

A sweet, heartfelt exploration of botany and friendship in the bustling city of New York!

The Green Kingdom is a botanical tale set against the urban backdrop of Brooklyn, where the world of plants comes alive through a series of mysterious letters. At the heart of the story are two sisters, whose correspondence centers around green riddles. As a reader, I let myself be taken in by the game and tried solving the riddles before the characters, learning about botany along the way. The pattern of the riddles adds structure to the story, although it can feel a little monotonous at times. Despite this, the heartfelt narrative, rich in discovery and nature, keeps the story moving forward. You'll definitely want to know how the story ends.

Thank you to NetGalley and DK for the ARC. This is my honest opinion of the book. This review is now available on Goodreads.

📚 Book Review 📚

This is a lovely children’s story about moving cities, forging new friendships and discovering the beauty of nature.

Twelve year old Caspia moves to Brooklyn with her parents when her dad gets a new job and she really doesn’t want go. When she finds a bundle of old letters in the apartment, Caspia’s world opens up to discover the impact of nature on the lives on two sisters many years ago.

This book is full of information about the natural world and the myths and legends which surround plants and flowers. The riddles are fun and exciting and it’s a great introduction for young readers to the history and love of nature.

I’d like to thank DK Children, NetGalley and the author for the arc and the fantastic opportunity, in exchange for my honest feedback 😊

Book released on 6th March 2025

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book is a joy to read. Perfect for children and adults. A story that spreads across the years and the world. Caspia isn’t happy her summer will be spent in NYC away from her friends. But she finds a treasure hunt starting bundle of letters which speak to her across the years. And so her summer adventure starts, as she follows the clues in the to discover plants and new friends, young and old. Her summer actually turns out to be better than she ever expected. And I found this story was so much better than I imagined too. Thank you to DK and NetGalley for the ARC. The views expressed are all mine, freely given.

Caspia is unimpressed when her parents move to Brooklyn for the summer. She's a country girl at heart and sure that she won't settle in the busy city. That is until she discovers a bundle of old letters that takes her on a plant treasure hunt. As Caspia sets out to solve the puzzles, with help from her friends back in Maine, she stumbles across green beauty and magical new friends in the most unexpected of places. I can highly recommend The Green Kingdom. It's a gentle, joyous story of how pushing out of your comfort zone can lead to a world of adventure. The characters are quirky and fun and the stunning illustrations add to the beauty of this wonderful book.

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.

I appreciate the themes of this lovely story very much. As a city girl who loved nature, I can see this being a boon to kids born in the digital age. The plot follows the heroine as she learns more about various plants and they help her feel at home in a new place. It's a lovely concept, but... honestly, it felt a bit twee, like the sort of book adults want kids to read rather than the sort of book kids actually love.

This was a very enjoyable novel. I guess I’m not the typical target reader for a young adult novel, but it was sweet, wholesome and well written. I liked the relationships between the characters and the sense of exploring and discovering themselves as well as their surroundings, whilst growing up at the same time. It was a bonus to learn more about the plants and trees they discovered.

Cornelia Funke has a talent worth far more than it's weight in gold as far as I’m concerned, she writes beautiful stories for children of all ages, and as I’m a lot closer to 70 than 7, I include myself within that number. The Green Kingdom is a very special book, beautifully illustrated by Melissa Castrillón, it tells the reader about Caspia, aged 12 and hater of big cities who is less than delighted at being uprooted from her home in rural Maine and transported to Brooklyn for the summer, away from her friends.

Caspia discovers many things during the course of that summer, not least that anywhere can feel like home if we have loving family and friends around us. The discovery starts with the letters. When unpacking her belongings at the apartment her parents have rented for their brief relocation to Brooklyn, Caspia finds a bundle of ten letters hidden in an old chest of drawers. Each letter contains a 'green' riddle which, when solved correctly, will lead to a different plant. Caspia decides to amuse herself by trying to solve all the riddles and whilst doing this she makes her discovery.

The first part of that discovery is that big cities are actually lots of small neighbourhoods all joined together and the second is, that if you are friendly to people, then they are generally friendly back. And without spoiling the book I can say that from this small beginning, everything follows. Caspia spends a magical summer in Brooklyn and has grown as a person because of it.

Cornelia Funke brings her Green Kingdom to life and I honestly feel that this will become a modern classic. Between the author's beautiful prose and the illustrator's delicate artwork, this is a book to be treasured. It's heartwarming and innocent but still dealing with modern times and attitudes and the author never patronises her target audience. This would make a wonderful present at this time of year and I really can't recommend it highly enough - five stars seem totally inadequate.

I recieved a ARC it started off well but unfortunately quite a bit was redacted meaning the story didnt seem to flow.