The magic behind the secret door...

The epic finale of the award-winning Greenwild trilogy, Greenwild: The Forest in the Sky, by Pari Thomson, illustrated by Elisa Paganelli, is out now. Read the entire series and get lost in its magic but first read this Q&A we are thrilled to publish with author Pari Thomson!

I was captivated when I started this series, I still am! What techniques do you use to keep the magic going, to keep your writing fresh?

Thank you! That’s so kind. One of the joys of writing the Greenwild series is that each book takes place in a different part of the magical world. I’ve been able to explore a different environment each time – whether it’s the woodland enchantment of Mallowmarsh in book 1, the ocean magic of Iffenwild in book 2, or the rainforest richness of Amazeria in book 3. It’s a bit like travelling in the real world: an exercise in curiosity.

Character and place names in the story are well-thought out and to an adult reader the connections are clear. Do you think readers understand the significance of the names?

One of the questions children ask me most often at events is why I’ve chosen the names I have, so I think this is something that resonates with them even if they don’t immediately make the connections. For example, Napoleon the cat is named for the French military general, who was famously short – much like my feline character, who is tiny but fierce and rather vain!

The series is a children’s fantasy adventure with an environmental message running through it. Why is this message so important to you and how do you include it in a story without preaching?

G.K. Chesterton said, ‘The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for want of wonder.’ I wanted to write about the ways that nature is full of astonishing things that constantly demand our reverence, attention and care. In a way, the greatest threat to nature is our indifference. So rather than lecturing children about the climate (and an inherited crisis not of their own making), I hope that my books inspire them to pay attention to the gorgeous grandeur of the world we walk through.

Are you ever concerned that children’s books have too much angst and the dangers faced by the characters could worry the reader? How do you manage this?

Children are more robust readers than we often give them credit for. Allowing child characters to face danger in books and then overcome it with courage and cleverness and kindness is a way of validating those same qualities in the child who is reading the book. At the same time, I try to balance darkness with light, and to stuff my stories with the things I love most: adventure and friendship and good food.

Amazeria is a beautiful place, it’s your creation. Are there any other fantasy worlds you’ve created that you would like to visit?

I loved writing the world of Iffenwild in book 2. It’s a city on the shores of a green lagoon, with spiralling shell towers and a network of glittering canals. I’d love to visit its magical coral reef, its vibrant opera house, and its many bakeries, where you can feast on chocolate eclairs, vanilla pastries, and elaborate cakes in the shape of pirate ships.

The illustrations add a lovely extra to the story and the end pages with their beautiful maps are stunning. How much involvement did you have in this, or did you leave it all to the illustrator?

I’m so lucky that Elisa Paganelli, the books’ illustrator, agreed to lend her talent to the Greenwild series. My publisher usually asks me to sketch out a rough version of the map for each book, and Elisa then takes these atrocious scribblings and turns them into something detailed and beautiful that perfectly reflects the world of the story. It’s magical to watch.

When you spend time in nature do you find yourself looking for secret doorways to other worlds and have you ever come close to finding one?

Always! The closest I’ve come is in Kew Gardens, which is where Daisy finds the doorway into the Greenwild in book 1.

With this third book the trilogy is now complete. Which of the characters do you think you’ll miss the most and why?

I’ll miss spending time with all of them, especially Daisy and her friends Indigo and the Prof. But perhaps Napoleon most of all – I can never resist a grumpy cat!

Hopefully you have some future projects in mind. Will you (a) write another series, (b) continue with fantasy or explore other genres?

I’ve always loved writing middle grade fantasy. I can’t say more now, but yes – there is much more to come!

If Daisy and Max could leave our readers with one message or thought, what would it be?

In the immortal words of Greta Thunberg: No one is too small to make a difference.