Jed Greenleaf by Kieran Larwood illustrated by David Wyatt

Feather, Bone, Claw, Fire, Leaf and Iron - the Guilds - who will gain power this year?

About this book: Albion city is governed by a puppet queen, secretly controlled by Lord Cromwell, and strange magic is afoot as six Guilds all compete to rule it. Although the Leaf Guild is the weakest, no one has reckoned with newcomer Jed Greenleaf’s extraordinary ability to transform into a half-tree, covered over with bark . . . he just needs to learn how to harness that power. Could he be the hero that the Guild needs to win at the tournament? It just might be that this year Jed can turn over a new leaf in the history books,and bring glory to the decaying Guild and peace to Albion.  Books Up North

Here are some children's book tropes that apply to this book:

• The chosen one – A character who is destined to save the world or defeat a great evil.

In this book his name is Jed.

• A magic school – A school for magical arts exists where the character goes to study and train.

Jed is taken to Yggdrsail House which is actually a house inside a giant tree and the home of Guild of Leaf. There he begins his training for the Arthanfest competition.

• The wise old mentor – A powerful mentor figure helps train/guide the hero.

Madame Stump and her husband are in charge of training for the Guild but Jed's mentor or inspiration is actually the dead hero Jack Greenleaf

• The dark lord – An ultimate evil or antagonist that stirs up trouble in the world

Cromwell and Lady Ireton have been drugging Queen Jane. The are totally corrupt and the Arthanfest competition has been rigged so either Iron or Fire always win.

• A magic sword – The hero wields an enchanted blade with magical properties and powers.

Jed does not have a sword but he has his armour in the form of very thick tree bark and he has the power to manipulate trees and bushes.

• A magical creature sidekick – A unicorn, dragon, sprite, etc. joins the hero on the journey

There are levels of power for Guild members. Jed has no idea he is able to reach level three until he meets a tree dryad.

• A quest – The hero must journey to obtain some object or defeat some evil.

Jed is attacked while competing at Arthanfest. His new family are all captured. Working with his new friends Phoebe (Claw Guild) and Nxy (Bone Guild) they have just two days to save his family and expose the crimes of the Iron and Fire Guilds. The queen needs to know the truth and Cromwell must be defeated. There were times in this story that I simply gasped out loud at the treachery and danger. 

• A magical world – The story is set in a world where magic is real and commonplace.

Each of the Guild champions can transform into their specific gift for example bark for Jed who is from the Leaf Guild. There are historical references in this setting to with names like Oliver Cromwell; Dick Turpin; and Samuel Johnson. 

• A magical object – The use of a magic ring, wand, amulet, chalice, or similar item.

Every guild has an amulet which is the source of their power. At Arthanfest the Guilds complete for to collect magickal globes.

• Magical creatures – Appearance of elves, dwarves, goblins, orcs, trolls, etc.

Jed has his tree dryad. I loved his way of speaking. "Larkspur and lavender, that be good work ye did last night, laddie ... We sozzled them redjackets like a gaggle of dumplings."

• The outcast hero – The hero is a misfit in some way and doesn’t fit in.

Jed is an orphan. As a young boy he was very unwell and so he is small and seemingly quite weak. He has been badly bullied by one of the young farm workers with the awful name of Sam Gigglemug. 

• Nature magic – Magic tied to the elements or forces of nature.

Members of the Guild of Leaf gain power from trees especially oak trees.

• Evil queen/king – A tyrannical monarch that needs to be overthrown.

Cromwell is not a monarch but he is evil and must be overthrown.

• Discovery of powers – The hero finds they have magical abilities they didn’t know about before.

When Jed is taken to Yggdrsail House it is obvious he has reached level one and can transform his skin into bark. On his first day Mr Stump discovers Jed can also perform at level two because he can talk to plants and as the danger increases when he is on the run from the soldiers is it clear he has reached level three and has the help of the tree dryad.

This self-contained story is a wonderful adventure and feels as though it has sprung from ancient folktales particular to our green and pleasant land. As fresh as the brightest green shoots and as sturdy as the oldest oak, this is a wonderful piece of storytelling. Love Reading4Kids

Jed is such a fabulous character. Sickly and bullied by those around him, he is full of self-doubt, worried about his abilities and his newfound role as part of a Guild which is far from flourishing. Yet, as the story progresses, his courage and determination lead him to achieve things he would never have thought possible, overturning corruption and righting wrongs along the way. Despite all the cruelty he has experienced, Jed shows unfailing kindness and loyalty to those he cares for, an instinctive sense of right and wrong guiding him in the choices he makes.  Through the Bookshelf

I spied this book in a local bookshop (Three Sparrows) and saw the detail on the cover that this book was by the author of Podkin One-ear which is a book series I loved.

Jed Greenleaf has 433 pages but I gobbled up over 250 pages today because it is so fast paced. This is one of those stories that you know will end in a mammoth battle of good versus evil. And yes it does. I also hoped the ending of this book would have a satisfying conclusion - and yes it does and great news this is a standalone book. Readers aged 10+ who enjoy stories of good and evil with heroes and quests are sure to enjoy this richly told story. 

Look for other books by Kieran Larwood:

The Legend of Podkin One-Ear

The Elephant and the Sea by Ed Vere

A charming winner about purpose, bravery, 

and making one’s dreams come true. Kirkus Star review

As a young elephant, Gabriel dreams of sailing the high seas. When he asks the sailors they say:

"You're a bit young, lad. Come back when you're older. Come back when you're stronger."

So, over the following days, months and years, Gabriel reads books about sailing, he practices his rowing and of course, because he is a young elephant, he grows bigger and stronger. I imagine you have guessed what happens when he asks the sailors again if he can join them.

"Oh, Gabriel, you've grown a bit! You're too big for the boat, lad! We're sorry."

Gabriel is not crushed. He is a problem solver. He builds his own boat and luckily it is finished just in time because a huge storm hits the coast, and the sailors are way out at sea and in danger of drowning. Our young hero Gabriel saves the day, but this is not the end. The other sailors can see his talent and so together they build an even bigger boat so everyone can join in. 

When you talk to your young library group about this book, after reading and enjoying the story, you could talk about the story structure which begins in the present when Gabriel is an old elephant remembering his past, then there is a series of flash back scenes about his childhood and journey into boat building and ultimately the rescue and then the story returns to the present with Gabriel reminiscing about his past. You can see inside this book here. This book was published in 2024 and is available here in Australia in paperback for a really affordable price so you should consider adding this little gem to your school library. If you have a music teacher in your school, it would be fun to learn some sea shanties.

There is so much to love about this book: the repeated ‘heave ho’ of the seamen; the animals in the harbour, mending nets and building boats; the lifeboat crew ... (and) it is the detail that will fascinate readers from 3 years upwards; old Gabriel has a cat called Milou, and young Gabriel is depicted with a very small cat in his duffel coat pocket, or following him as he runs through the harbour, or sitting beside him as he gazes at the sea through his window. And the seagulls alone are worth following through the book as they echo the mood of every page in this delightful fable of determination and courage. Just Imagine

If you loved the problem solving and determination of young Stella in Stellaphant then you must look for The Elephant and the Sea. 

Stellarphant

Here is another book by Ed Vere:

How to be a Lion

How to Sail to Somewhere by Ashleigh Barton

"Bea turns away, blinking her eyes back into focus. She can't believe that, after all this time dreaming about it, Somewhere is actually so close she can see it."

There are two girls in this story, Bea and Arabella, and quite unexpectedly their lives collide. Arabella is in Bea's class at school but Arabella is one of those popular girls who always has a swarm of other girls around her. Bea has never even spoken to her. 

"Arabella has always seemed like the kind of person who doesn't want to speak to Bea, but may be Bea has been wrong about that too. ... hanging with Arabella is like hanging with royalty. Arabella is pretty and rich and confident. She's also somehow stony, like nothing bothers her ... This makes her untouchable, alluring and being her friend is an instant ticket to being popular. And Bea can't understand it, but popular is all anyone seems to want to be. They're not concerned about being nice or smart or clever ... or resourceful or creative or pioneering or anything like that."

What Bea doesn't know is that Arabella is not really friends with all of those girls. Bea, herself, has one or two good friends but they always head away from this small seaside town in the summer. She usually has her uncle to keep her company because her extremely busy parents disappear very early each day and always return late at night. Usually, summer is her time of joy when her uncle Bryon comes to stay. He is a fantastic uncle and together they have so much fun but this year he has not come and no one has told her why or if they have told her she simply does not understand. Before he left last year Byron showed Bea a map and said that next summer, they would sail together to a small star-shaped island off the coast called Somewhere. 

Here is a description of Byron:

His smell "that combination of freshly washed cotton, chewing gum and his peppermint shampoo."

And "the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed and how his smile was always slightly crooked or the way he always listened when you spoke, watching you like what you had to say was genuinely interesting even if you were just telling him why sandwiches are better without their crusts."

I mentioned there are two girls in this story. Everyone knows Arabella lives in a mansion with solid gold doorknobs and marble walls and an indoor swimming pool and fifteen cars. Bea is amazed to be invited there by Arabella and then she is even more amazed to discover none of this is true. And then Arabella shows Bea that she also has a map of the island named Somewhere and suddenly this summer it seems these two girls are destined to become friends.  The girls make a plan to sail to Somewhere. Bea wants to go there because it was the place her uncle promised they would go to together but why does Arabella so desperately want to go there and also how is the old fisherman Ray connected with all of this? And what about Uncle Bryon he is not here and yet somehow he seems to be directing the action with mysterious clues, secret keys, hidden rooms and one very special book. I loved the way the girls used their local library to search for more information about the island. 

There is something truly comforting about a story that is filled with delicious food. Ashleigh Barton has included a wonderful cafe in her story. Arabella's dad works there, and he is happy, as all good chefs are, to share his food with an appreciative audience. Bea is given food at home but it is nowhere near as delicious as the food served at Fishbone. Older readers might make the connection about the nourishment of food and Bea's need for comfort. Arabella has delicious food from her father but she too has an emptiness inside because she is holding onto a dreadful misunderstanding about her own absent mother. 

Add this book to your book shopping list - it is sure to be enjoyed by keen readers aged 9+. And after reading this book you will also want to go to your own local fish cafe or perhaps enjoy a picnic of cheese and pickle sandwiches, honey cake with strawberry jam and homemade lemonade. 

If you are book talking this new Australian book with your library group I would begin with these sentence:

"Where are you going to go?"  "I don't know. I'll go anywhere. Somewhere."

How could this be misinterpreted?  What if there is an island off the coast called Somewhere?

Here are some detailed teachers notes by Dr Robyn Sheahan-Bright. And here are the webpages for Ashleigh Barton. How to Sail to Somewhere was published just four days ago so it will be in your local bookshop right now!

Publisher blurb: Beatrice Glass - Bea - lives in a tiny fishing village that's sleepy all year until the summertime, when the tourists flock in and most of the locals leave. But summer is also when Bea's favourite person in the entire world, her fun and hilarious uncle, Byron, comes to stay. On their last day together the previous summer, Byron had given Bea an intriguing antique book containing a map of Somewhere, a mysterious island off the coast, and promised that next summer they'd sail to Somewhere together for their best adventure yet. That was last year. Now summer has arrived, but Byron hasn't. And now it looks like he never will. Are the book and Byron's disappearance linked? Byron has left some clues for Bea - a scavenger hunt of sorts designed to bring her and her new friend, Arabella, together and give Bea one last magical summer. Could Somewhere hold the key to both Bea's and Arabella's future?

My 2025 CBCA Younger Readers notable and short list predictions were totally wrong but anyway I am going to say that How to Sail to Somewhere is sure to be a 2026 notable - fingers crossed. 

There’s magic in this story. ...  a joyous magic that comes with discovering something new, making new friends and going on an adventure that means something to both of the main characters. Loss is a central theme in this novel, showcasing the power of facing how you feel about loss, and family finding ways to talk about things that are painful for everyone. Because not everyone always knows how to address things. ...  Grief is a powerful emotion that everyone responds to differently, and I liked that this book acknowledged that. This is a quiet gem of a book that will have something in it for every reader. The Book Muse

It’s evocative and emotional, without being syrupy or sanctimonious. I predict that readers will not only fall in love with these characters, but with the setting itself. Here’s one to add to forthcoming ‘best of’ lists without a doubt. Just so Stories

Companion books:

This is book is a perfect match with How to Sail to Somewhere - highly recommended.

Junonia

Summer of the gypsy moths

Jubilee

A Horse Called Now by Ruth Doyle illustrated by Alexandra Finkeldey

The horse is named Now and she is very wise. When the farm animals rush up to her full of worries she gently questions their fears. The Rabbits are sure a Fox chasing them but Now suggests they stop and look around. Can they see the Fox? No. Perhaps they should just enjoy some dandelions. Hen is sure the Magpie is after her chicks. But Now suggests she should look up. Can Hen see a swooping bird. No. 

"At this moment all is well. Why don't you search for some juicy grubs?

The Sheep is also very afraid but Now reassures her she is quite safe. Then a thunderstorm arrives - nothing to worry about - Now leads them all safely into the barn. Oh no - there are animals in the barn - are they scary? No. It's an old Fox, Magpie and a small puppy. 

"Now told the others. 'There's nothing to fear. Fox is looking somewhere warm to rest, Magpie only wants to collect shiny things and the Farmer's new dog is just a puppy, scared of the storm."

Anxiety is often about the 'what if' scenario. The animals express this as 'might'.

"... it might be his scarlet coat .... it might be his huge tail that trails fire ... he might sneak up ..."

"Magpie might have a beak as sharp as a famer's knife ... she might have wings that wrap and trap us"

This book could be quite didactic, but it is not. You could use this book to talk to young children about fear, anxiety, perception of danger, and point of view. I recommend you add this book to your school library. Nosy Crow consistently produce terrific books. 

The illustrations are also beautiful. A Horse Called Now was published in 2024 and it is available in paperback for a very good price.

Most mindfulness primers are a list of directives; this tale has the slow-moving grace of a fable. Kirkus

Doyle’s prose is beautiful and descriptive, introducing young readers to a lovely and sophisticated use of language through onomatopoeia, similes, and a rich vocabulary. Finkeldey’s expansive illustrations lend a vintage charm ...  School Library Journal

A Horse Called Now beautifully encapsulates the journey of overcoming worries and embracing the present moment. ‘When I’m afraid, I breathe in and out and let the feelings come . . . and then go. Nothing lasts forever.’ In today’s world, mental health awareness is paramount, especially for young children. The story instils the notion that it’s perfectly alright not to feel okay at times, and that seeking help is a commendable action. Through its narrative, A Horse Called Now emphasises the significance of friendship and support networks. Just Imagine

Here are two other books by Ruth Doyle:

Dreams for our Daughters

Alexandra Finkeldey is a freelance artist based in Kingston, Canada. Her book titles include:  On a Mushroom Day by Chris Baker (Tundra Books, 2024), Saving the Spotted Owl by Nicola Jones (Kids Can Press, 2023), The Boy, the Cloud and the Very Tall Tale by Heather Smith (Orca Books, 2023), When the Storks Came Home by Isabella Tree (Ivy Kids, 2022) True Stories of Animal Heroes: Talala by Vita Murrow (Frances Lincoln, 2021). 

The Wrong Way Home by Kate O'Shaughnessy

"... we know Dr Ben certainly isn't perfect - we all know he has a nasty temper. 

He doesn't lose it often, but when he does watch out."

This is such a powerful story, but my descriptions might surprise you. All through the story I wanted Fern to fail. I know that sounds very strange, but she and her mother have fled the cult where Fern has lived since she was just six years old. Fern has of course been totally indoctrinated by the cult leader but readers aged 12+ are sure to insights that go beyond the way Fern sees her former life.

Opening sentence: "Before we came to live at the Ranch, Mom and I were like tumbleweeds."

Early on in the story there are hints that the leader of this place - Dr Ben - is all about control. The girls and women are all sitting in room knitting. Fern is watching her friend Meadowlark struggling with this task. When Dr Ben walks into the room everyone falls silent. 

"He drops in like this occasionally. It's never on a schedule - sometimes he'll surprise us twice in three days; other times he won't come around for months ... I'm not the only one who's nervous. I see a flash of eyes all around me, the tucking of hair behind ears and shifting of bodies."

"Everything we have - everything The Ranch provides us - is because of him. ... And as long as you live up to his ideals, life is beautiful. It all makes sense."

Dr Ben has come to summon Fern to his office. Once there he tells her it is time for her rite. He also says she should 'prepare for the unexpected.'

"After your rite, you're considered an adult, and you're entrusted with a lot more responsibility. Most of the time it happens around the spring equinox of the year you turn fifteen. But I don't even turn thirteen for another six months."

Every part of the conversation between Dr Ben and Fern feels like a manipulation. As a reader I found him very sinister right from the beginning. Something is very wrong here - he is asking her to do the rite when she is so young. The last time some kids were sent to do their rite a boy named Rain died. You will also read that Fern's mum has been put on a water diet so she can refocus her thinking. 

Have you noticed these names - Fern, Meadowlark, Rain and mum's name is Magnolia (real name Jamie Silvana) - yes everyone has changed their name when they joined this cult. 

"Choosing a new name - one that reflects the beauty of nature - is something everyone does at the Ranch. For your first few months you aren't called anything at all. Dr Ben says it's so you can 'readjust your self-perception' ... to strip yourself of your old identity entirely, so you can commit yourself to a new one. ... I'm not sure how the name 'Dr Ben' relates to something in nature, but I'm sure it does. I've always been too nervous to ask, because I bet it's short for something obvious, and I'd feel stupid once it was explained to me."

I do need to say Fern does not even know the word cult let alone have any understanding of what this means. That word is not mentioned until page 242. When she and her mother escape and re-enter the 'real world' there is so much that Fern (her real name is Frankie) has to learn. The children don't go to a regular school at The Ranch. It's purpose is to raise:

"A generation who will understand how to live in harmony with the land. How to be ready to survive the fallout of war, climate change, of disaster. I do not take this responsibility lightly. Because it's coming, sooner than society thinks. And to survive you need to be tough. You need to go through the gauntlet of hardship and come out the other side stronger."

Think about all the things Fern might not know - computers, American history, money, the enjoyment of reading a fiction story, sweet treats like croissants, and that television is not dangerous. She also encounters lots of new words such as Amish, VIP, tag sale, marzipan, and bewildered. Thank goodness for Fern's new friend Eddie, for her wonderful science teacher and for library books and helpful librarians. 

When Fern and her mother reach the other side of America, Fern begins to plan their return. In her mind life at the Ranch was good and that is the place where she felt cared for and supported.  She knows there are no mobile phones (not true) at the Ranch and no computers so she decides she should write a letter to Dr Ben. The post office lady cannot help and of course stamps and envelopes require money. Then she realises she does not have an address. She is enrolled at school and another student reluctantly shows her how to search the internet. Fern finds the name of a local private detective but when she visits his office he asks for $300. How can Fern raise that much money? Luckily Mum didn't pick this town by chance - she knows a lady who lives there. Bab's is so kind. She offers Fern a job clearing out the old rooms above her tearooms. But all of this takes time. Fern is in a rush to get back to the Ranch but this time allows her to grow in her realisation that perhaps life was not quite so perfect and that Dr Ben was not trustworthy - but then she does post that letter, and her world comes tumbling down. I think I held my breath through the final chapters of this book I was so worried about Fern.

I sometimes wish I could have read a book for kids that I’ve encountered today as a child myself. This is one of those books. At what point does the average reader figure out that Fern may be in the wrong? When do their loyalties switch to the mom? Do they ever? While the adults amongst us are screaming “DON’T GET IN THAT VAN!” at the book, do kid readers feel the same way? I can’t help but think that this book would be an amazing bookclub read with children. Their reactions would be incredible.  ... Fuse8 Betsy Bird - please read her whole review!

Betsy also says: It’s a cleverly written and supremely literary story, while also remaining pretty gripping in its telling. Trust me, you won’t know what hit you after you finish it.   

A strong, emotionally intelligent story. Kirkus Star review

The Wrong Way Home is an unforgettable, propulsive story of a girl learning to trust her inner voice. With a fresh premise, compelling characters, and an atmospheric setting, this book is impossible to put down. It tackles cults, a rarely mentioned subject in children’s literature, with age-appropriate sensitivity and is sure to spark plenty of discussion in and out of the classroom. Reading Middle Grade

I learnt a new word in this book 'kasha' - it is a type of buckwheat.

Here is an interview with the author Kate O'Shaughnessy (note this page is full of advertising). And here is her web page where you can find her other books. 

Publisher blurb: Twelve-year-old Fern believes she's living a noble life--but what if everything she's been told is a lie?  This is a huge-hearted story about a girl learning to question everything—and to trust in herself. Fern’s lived at the Ranch, an off-the-grid, sustainable community in upstate New York, since she was six. The work is hard, but Fern admires the Ranch's leader, Dr. Ben. So when Fern’s mother sneaks them away in the middle of the night and says Dr. Ben is dangerous, Fern doesn't believe it. She wants desperately to go back, but her mom just keeps driving. Suddenly thrust into the treacherous, toxic, outside world, Fern can think only of how to get home. She has a plan, but it will take time. As that time goes by, though, Fern realizes there are things she will miss from this place—the library, a friend from school, the ocean—and there are things she learned at the Ranch that are just...not true. Now Fern will have to decide. How much is she willing to give up to return to the Ranch? Should she trust Dr. Ben’s vision for her life? Or listen to the growing feeling that she can live by her own rules?

I read an ebook copy of The Wrong Way Home. Here in Australia this book will be available in June [9780593650769]. Watch this video where Colby Sharp talks about his reaction to this amazing book. The wrong way home is a 2025 Newbery Honour book. 

The most obvious companion book in my view is this very old Australian title:

People might Hear You

The Peach Thief by Linda Joan Smith

This was no place for a girl. And the longer she was here? 

The sooner they’d see that’s exactly what she was

Knowing I was travelling for over five hours on public transport yesterday I decided to add a few more books to my Kindle library. I started and ended the day reading the whole of The Peach Thief (384 pages) - such an engrossing story although at times the anticipation that something utterly dreadful was sure to happen to young Scilla Brown meant that regular intervals I had to 'close' my book and take a huge breath.

Scilla is an orphan living in the workhouse where food is scarce and the punishments are severe. She has one good friend - a girl named Emily but she has been taken away to work in a factory or in service. Then Scilla herself is taken by an older girl named Dora. Dora is a little bit like Fagan from Oliver Twist. She needs Scilla to assist her with petty crimes like shoplifting. Dora steals some rancid meat from a market stall and Scilla finds her dead under the bridge where they were sheltering through the night. Long ago Scilla tasted a peach. The beautiful sensation has never left her. She knows there are peaches in the manor house garden behind the high wall. 

She’d risk anything to taste a peach again, so ripe, so delicious— fit for a queen! And here was her chance, before her life spiraled back to the workhouse, her only choice now

Driven by hunger and her desire to find the fruit of her dreams, late at night she climbs over the wall but her feet are caught in an espaliered cherry tree and she falls to the ground and is caught.

Dora has dressed Scilla in boy's clothes and cut her hair short, so the head gardener Mr. Layton thinks she is a boy. She tells him her name is Seth Brown. Scilla is sure she will be sent straight to jail but someone she manages to convince Mr Layton that she can scrub the garden pots.  

She kept her voice low to match her boys’ cap and clothes, her shorn hair. A boy could blend in, get out of scrapes a girl might not, Dora’d always said.

The other workers seem somewhat suspicious of the newcomer so Scilla keeps her distance, but one young man seems friendly. Right from the beginning, to her absolute amazement, he helps her with her tasks. He is a very charming and very good looking fellow and gradually, as readers, we watch on as Scilla falls in love with him - but is he really being honest with Scilla and does he have some other motive for the advice her gives Scilla. Also it is a huge worry the way he invites her to join in his dangerous nighttime adventures especially when they involve stealing precious fruit from Mr Layton who has shown her nothing but kindness. 

Over time Scilla learns more and more about gardens and the wonders of turning tiny seeds in to fragile plants which then eventually provide delicious and abundant produce for the big housel. Mr Layton seems to take her into his confidence showing her the winter stored fruits and allowing her to study books from is extensive collection. He also gives her a special role on the day Prince Albert visits the greenhouses. All of this is wonderful but also dangerous because Phin, that handsome young gardener, is desperately jealous of these attentions. He is sure he is the one who will one day also become a head gardener. 

Nuanced, richly atmospheric, and exquisitely written. Kirkus Star review

Blurb from the author page: The night that workhouse orphan Scilla Brown dares to climb the Earl of Havermore’s garden wall, she wants only to steal a peach—the best thing she’s tasted in her hard, hungry life. But when she’s caught by the earl’s head gardener and mistaken for a boy, she grabs on to something more: a temporary job scrubbing flowerpots. If she can just keep up her deception, she’ll have a soft bed and food beyond her wildest dreams . . . maybe even peaches. She soon falls in with Phin, a garden apprentice who sneaks her into the steamy, fruit-filled greenhouses, calls her “Brownie,” and makes her skin prickle. At the same time, the gruff head gardener himself is teaching lowly Scilla to make things grow, and she’s cultivating hope with every seed she plants. But as the seasons unfurl, her loyalties become divided, and her secret grows harder to keep. How far will she go to have a home at last?

Here are some key quotes from The Peach Thief - the first ones are words that Scilla luckily remembers when she is in the worse position of her life accused of a series of crimes she did not commit. 

“An honorable man takes responsibility for his actions, you understand, no matter the consequences."

"You have to care about each plant ... the life and beauty in it. You have to give it what it needs to reach its full potential."

"It is our curiosity that leads us to new discoveries, to new opportunities, to what we most need to learn."

You can read some background to this story here. And Candlewick gives you the first seven chapters to sample on their webpage. There are some fun words in this book such as meddling fussock; as wick as the woods; gawped; summat; and Lorjus.

If you are looking for a character description to use as a writing model this one is great:

"The cook, Mrs Keckilpenny, was round as a teapot. Her skirts rose in the back each time she bent to check the black range at the front end of the low-ceilinged room, revealing red-and-black-striped stockings above her high-topped clogs. Her frilled cap, tied beneath her double chin, looked like a crimped crust around a great pink pie."

I had no idea there were so many varieties of peaches (back notes in The Peach Thief tells me there are 95) with beautiful names such as Royal George, Grosse Mignonne, Bellegarde. And the apples have names such as Ribston Pippins and Gravenstein. You will also read about the lengths these early gardeners went to, to grow exotic fruits like pineapples. 

Here in Australia you will have to be patient and wait to add this book to your library. The US edition published by Candlewick is way too expensive at over AUS$45+ but what I hope might happen is the book will be taken up by Walker Books in the UK and their copy will then come to Walker Books here in Australia and the price will come down. How this happens is a mystery to me, but I have seen this pattern with many other middle grade titles. The publisher says this book is for ages 8-12 but I think the love tensions, age of the protagonist and complex relationships mean it would be a better fit for ages 11+ and certainly a great read for younger High School readers. I absolutely adored this book from beginning to end. 

The Peach Thief is a debut novel for Linda Joan Smith. She has worked as a journalist specialising in writing about gardening. She mentions loving The Secret Garden as a child. 

Here are some of her favourite books that transport readers to other times and places - what a fabulous list:

• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park
• Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
• Chains (and The Seeds of America Trilogy) by Laurie Halse Anderson
• Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan
• Hatchet by Gary Paulsen
• Hello Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Okay for Now and The Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt
• Simon Sort of Says by Erin Bow
• The Book Thief  by Markus Zusak
• The London Eye Mystery and The Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd
• The Midwife’s Apprentice by Karen Cushman
• When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
• Wringer by Jerry Spinelli

Ten-Word Tiny Tales of Love by Joseph Coelho

"Here you will find loving tiny tales plucked from wedding bouquets, found in the fur of much-loved pets and neatly folded in the corner of your favourite hobby. These are stories of love of all kinds."

Check out my post about the first book by Joseph Coelho that explored this idea of ten word tales.

Ten-Word Tiny Tales

Once again Joseph Coelho has invited illustrators to create images to go with, to extend, to blow your mind with their interpretation of his ten-word tale - this time with the theme of love. There are twenty-one illustrators in this second volume including our own Bob Graham! See his page here.

Joseph Coelho says: "I travelled the globe by hot-air balloon, hovercraft and llama searching for the best illustrators to help bring a glimpse of these tales to life."

Here are a few of the names you might recognise: Sydney Smith; Jon Klassen; Mini Grey; Jarvis; and  Ken Wilson Max.

Here is the page by Sydney Smith - winner of the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Medal.

Art by Sydney Smith

"As it poured, he taught him to tie his laces."

I do hope you will read this book - Ten-word Tiny Tales of Love and share it with a class. I suggest reading the pages in this book, perhaps one each day, without showing the illustration. Let it sink in. Let the children imagine. Let them draw or write. Then much later in the day you could show the page.

We danced starlight into the rainbows of our broken hearts.

The kisses in her card grew wings and flowery scents.

He wrapped his little sister in a whispered bedtime story.

The love he held for his bike made it amphibious.

Using a ladder he washed the mud from his dog.

Grandma's hot chocolate was a furry hug in a cup.

The rescued cats kept watch as the lost child slept.

As a bonus there are story writing hints at the back of this book and a page of ways to extend the ten-word tale into a longer story. I love that Joseph Coelho explains his story parts can be presented in any order - this is a wonderful counterbalance to the prescribed (paid) writing programs adopted in many of our Australian Primary schools. 

Joseph Coelho shares his book on Instagram. Here is a full list of all the illustrators in Ten-word Tiny Tales of Love:

Katherine Child * Fruzsina Czech * Diane Ewen * Jim Field * Bob Graham * Katie May Green * Mini Grey * Mark Janssen * Jarvis * Baljinder Kaur * Heather Kilgour * Jon Klassen * Fiona Lumbers * Steve McCarthy * Rikin Parekh * Natalia Shaloshvili * Sydney Smith * Beth Suzanna * Victoria Turnbull * Ken Wilson-Max * Myo Yim

OR you could check out their Instagram pages: @blahjinder @bethsuzanna @bobgraham75 @creativedewen @fiona_lumbers @fruzic @heatherkilgourillustration @jarvispicturebooks @_jimfield @jonklassen @katherinelobster @katiemaygreen @wilsonmaxken @markjanssenpicturebooks @mini3grey @myo.yim.drawing @nataly_owl @r1k1n_parekh @mrstevemccarthy @sydneydraws @vic_turnbull

Art by Natalia Shaloshvili

"The kisses in her card grew wings and flowery scents."

This Morning I met a Whale by Michael Morpurgo illustrated by Christian Birmingham

Michael, as the title tells you, meets a whale. But whales are not supposed to be in his part of the river Thames. And whales are not supposed to be able to communicate directly with humans but this whale can and he has come specifically to talk to a child. His grandfather has told him a child will listen and a child will share his important message about degradation of the environment and the distress humans are causing whales. 

"He showed me the bottom of the sea, a coral reef lay dying and littered with rubbish. I saw a sperm whale being winched bleeding out of the sea, a leatherback turtle caught up in vast fishing nets, along with sharks and dolphins. There was an albatross, hanging there, limp and lifeless. ... He showed me skies so full of smoke that day had become night, and below them the forests burning. ... You are killing the world. Tell a child ... only a child will put it right."

Companion book:

Bookseller blurb: At sunrise, young Michael spots a whale on the shores of the Thames and thinks he must be dreaming. But the creature is real and it has a message for him – one that only an open-minded child can deliver to the rest of the world. The whale warns that the earth’s days are numbered and that humans must put right the damage they are doing, but how can Michael fulfil his promise to tell others when neither his teacher nor his classmates will believe his story? Within hours, the city and the wider world have learned of London’s remarkable visitor, and all eyes are on the whale’s struggle against the receding tide. Michael must now join his new friend in a race against time to reach the ocean, and hold fast to his promise in the race to save the world itself.

Do you have a favourite children's book illustrator? I have lots - but one that would most certainly make my top twenty list would be Christian Birmingham. 

This is a slim book with only 80 pages but it is also a powerful story with a strong environmental message. Even though the publication date is 2009 I think this book is still available. Readers in your library will love this story even more when they discover it is based on real events. In 2006 a whale did swim up the Thames as far as a Battersea Bridge and sadly, like the whale in this book, she did not survive. 

You might have this book in your school library because it is a Premiers Reading Challenge title Grades 5&6 [1038]. 

Michael Morpurgo was 2003–2005 Children's Laureate, has written over 100 books and is the winner of many awards, including the Whitbread Children's Book Award, the Smarties Book Prize, the Blue Peter Award and the Red House Children's Book Award. His books are translated and read around the world and his hugely popular novel War Horse is now both a critically acclaimed stage play and a highly successful film. 

Christian Birmingham is considered one of the best young illustrators working today. After receiving a degree in Illustration from the Exeter College of Art he has gone on to illustrate many books for children such as A Kitten Called Moonlight by Martin Waddell and several titles by Michael Morpurgo, including The Wreck of the Zanzibar, named the Whitbread Children's Book of the Year in 1995.

Jane Austen 250th Anniversary

Illustration from Ordinary Extraordinary Jane Austen 

by Deborah Hopkinson illustrated by Qin Leng

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, a monumental milestone in the literary world. I have been doing an adult education course reading or in some cases rereading her six novels. These things were not all covered but in the course I paused to think about common themes explored between the novels along with unrequited love; finding love; measures of beauty and worth; the modern relevance of these stories; superficial ways of measuring character through looks, money or manners; deception; false impressions; truth and lies; the linking of these stories to fairy tales; courtship; communication; plot devices such as side stories; the importance of letter writing especially as a way to express true feelings; Jane Austen's own attitudes to love and money and status; and human nature - virtue, vanity and jealousy.

After reading all six of these famous novels I am not entirely at ease with the repeated idea that the 'pretty girl' gets the guy and the happy ending but perhaps that is an immature or trivial way to think about these important books. 

If you live in the UK there are a multitude of events in various locations to mark the 250 years.Of course there is also a big festival in Bath later in the year. Here in Australia you might check out the Jane Austen Society.

One of my set texts in Grade 11 was Emma and I remembered I did not enjoy reading it - in fact I don't think I read it all. So when we reached the week in the course to discuss Emma I reached for a simpler version first.  These are designed for young teenagers and are a good way to get a quick plot overview but they are no substitute for the real book as they do not contain the rich language and wonderfully complex sentences created by Jane Austen.

You can read more about each of these here

If you have a younger reader, you could introduce them to Jane Austen through these two biographies:

Read more here

I found a few useful Jane Austen resources:

List of the characters (major and minor) in every novel The Republic of Pemberley

Jane Austen rich vocabulary - book by book Literature Vocabulary

For example do you know the word suavity from Persuasion? Or the word ebullition from Sense and Sensibility?

Thinking about Austen views of love and marriage Reading Vintage

Why Jane Austen's Novels matter

The Secrets of her Appeal

15 quotes (some less well known)

24 quotes to share on Valentines Day

In our course the tutor gave us lists of modern texts based on or related to each of the six Jane Austen classics. Here are a few (I have only included the more recent ones):

Persuasion

2013 Loving Longest: Jane Austen’s “Persuasion” Meets the Modern World  by Lisa Van Gemert 

2015 Second Chances: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion by  Sarah Price  

2016 Mrs Clay: The Austen Expert’s Companion to ‘Persuasion by Dorothea-Sofia Rossellini 

2016 The Boy is Back by Meg Cabot 

2017 Disturbing the Dust: A Variation on Jane Austen’s ‘Persuasion’  by Ivy May Stuart 

2020 Recipe for Persuasion by Sonali Dev 

Northanger Abbey

2014 Northanger Abbey by Val McDermid 

2016 Miss Eleanor Tilney: or The Reluctant Heroine by Sherwood Smith 

2018 Banff Springs Abbey: Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey Reimagined by Samantha Adkins  

2019 The Bride of Northanger by Diana Birchall 

2020 Murder at Northanger Abbey by Shannon Winslow 

2021 Woodston: A Sequel to Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey by Kate Westwood

Emma

2013 The Highbury Murders by Victoria Grossack 

2014 Only with You by Cecilia Gray 

2014 Emma: A Modern Retelling by Alexander McCall Smith 

2015 Wrong About the Guy by Claire LaZebnik 

2018 The Other Miss Bates by Allie Creswell, A Lady

Mansfield Park

2014 Revisit Mansfield Park: How Fanny Married Henry by Sarah Ozcandarli 

2016 Mount Hope: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Mansfield Park by Sarah Price 

2017 A Contrary Wind: a variation on Mansfield Park by Lona Manning 

2017 Seeking Mansfield by Kate Watson 

Pride and Prejudice

2014 First Impressions: An Amish Tale of Pride and Prejudice by Sarah Price 

2016 Christmas at Netherfield by Nora Kipling 

2017 Mr. Darcy’s Kiss by Krista Lakes  

2017 Death at the Netherfield Park Ball by Amelia Littlewood 

2017 Netherfield Prep: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice' by Elizabeth Stevens

2020 The Price of Pride by Abigail Reynolds  

2022 Initial Impressions by L.J. Shaw  

Sense and Sensibility

2013 Sense & Sensibility by Joanna Trollope 

2016 Sense and Sensibility: An Amish Retelling of Jane Austen’s Classic by Sarah Price 

2017 Jane of Austin: A Novel of Sweet Tea and Sensibility by Hillary Manton 

On my own shelves I have this book - which I hope to read later this year:

Read more here

Finally a few years ago I fulfilled my ambition to see this rock from the 1995 Pride and Prejudice television series.

Image source: Film Locations