NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 2025
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“Enchanting, joyful, full of light and warmth, and glittering with real-world magic.” – Sophie Anderson
From the New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke, known for the INKHEART series, comes a new adventure book featuring foil edges and a metallic-effect cover.
Enter the story of Caspia, who sets out to solve a series of riddles, and as she does, she meets friends she could have never imagined.Anywhere can feel like home if you are brave enough to put down new roots…Caspia’s summer is transformed when she discovers a bundle of letters containing ten botanical riddles in this enchanting adventure.
Twelve-year-old Caspia hates big cities, especially one as busy as New York. So she isn’t thrilled by the news that her parents are taking her to stay in Brooklyn. But everything changes when Caspia discovers a bundle of letters, hidden in an old dresser. Each letter contains a ‘green’ riddle, with clues leading to a different plant.
The newest adventure from the award-winning author of Inkheart and Dragon Rider, Cornelia Funke weaves magic into every sentence of this new and exciting mystery set in the heart of New York City.
The Green Kingdom is perfect for fans of the Greenwild series.
Three things you’ll find in this book: - Solving riddles
- Mystery
- New friendships
On sale: April 1, 2025
Age: 8-12 years
Grade: Grades 6-8
Page count: 224 Pages
ISBN: 9780593959305
Author of the New York Times bestselling Inkheart series,
Cornelia Funke has been published in 53 languages and her books have sold over 22 million copies worldwide. Cornelia lives in Tuscany, Italy, where she regularly hosts artists from around the world. Her old olive farm provides a retreat for creatives to collaborate in surprising and amazing ways.
Tammi Hartung is an ethnobotanist and co-authored alongside Cornelia, providing integral details and knowledge about the leafy citizens of
The Green Kingdom. Tammi has more than 40 years experience working with plants, and has published four other books using her botanical expertise.
Melissa Castrillon is an English and Colombian illustrator based in the United Kingdom. In 2019 she was awarded the Gold medal by the Society of illustrators in New York.
"Old riddles provide a modern girl with a summer adventure....The broad range of featured plants includes many that are likely to be familiar to readers. Co-authors Hartung, who has botanical expertise, and Funke, whose original German text was translated by Anna Schmitt Funke, add magic to the mundane, collaborating to create a realistic story that nevertheless feels wonderfully fantastical. Castrillón’s delicate illustrations have an old-fashioned feel and provide marvelous atmosphere as well as effectively highlighting the various plant species."
- Kirkus Reviews
"Hartung’s botanical expertise matches Funke’s narrative prowess, resulting in epistolary language that is natural and playful, as are the lush illustrations invitingly placed throughout...A solid purchase and easy recommendation for those who enjoy place-based mysteries with a twist." -
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