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Caspia is not excited by an unexpected summer in New York City until she discovers letters that unlock a Green Kingdom in this middle grades realistic fiction.
The Green Kingdom by Cornelia Funke and Tammi Hartung, illustrated by Melissa Castrillon. DK Flip, 2025, 224 pages.
- Reading Level: Middle grades, ages 10-12
- Recommended for: ages 10-12
When Caspia’s father agrees to help his friend in New York City, it presents an opportunity. Caspia’s mom is excited: an enthusiastic cook, she sees this time in the city as a chance to write the cookbook she keeps dreaming of writing. Caspia, who has grown up in small-town Maine, is appalled. She is going to miss her friends!
Soon after arriving in their Brooklyn apartment, Caspia discovers a series of letters. Opening the first, she discovers an exchange between two sisters, with each letter containing a riddle to a plant. Inspired to solve the riddles, Caspia sets off to explore her neighborhood, making a series of friends along the way.
A sweet, gently moving story, this won’t be every reader’s cup of tea. While Caspia’s budding friendship with a boy is well-portrayed, a casual reference to her friend coming out about liking other girls to their mutual friend will be too much for some readers.
Considerations:
- Language: one use of d—
- Worldview/Sexuality: Same sex relationship, see last paragraph of review.
Bottom Line: A gently moving middle grade tale with epistolary elements and riddles that explore the green kingdom.
Related Reading at Redeemed Reader:
- Review: Fans of Cornelia Funke may be interested in Ghost Knight (also by Funke).
- Reviews: More fun middle grades books without the above sexuality consideration include Library Girl and Fuzzy Mud (Fuzzy Mud is another book with an environmental edge, although the substance in question is not green).
- Resource: Our mysteries list is one of our most popular booklists! Find more mysteries for all ages here.
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