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The Green Kingdom
From the New York Times bestselling author Cornelia Funke, known for the INKHEART series, comes this new adventure book.
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
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
224 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2025
About the author
Cornelia Funke
500 books14.6k followersCornelia Funke is a multiple award-winning German illustrator and storyteller, who writes fantasy for all ages of readers. Amongst her best known books is the Inkheart trilogy. Many of Cornelia's titles are published all over the world and translated into more than 30 languages. She has two children, two birds and a very old dog and lives in Los Angeles, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 353 reviews
March 6, 2026
In a Nutshell: A middle-grade adventure mystery about some botanical wonders and some enigmatic old letters. Decent characters, excellent plant-related information, epistolary interludes, fun riddles, clunky plotting, too much of attraction/crush talk. I mistakenly assumed this to be a fantasy. Recommended to the target age group.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
I had heard a lot about this author's fantasy novels for middle-graders. That, combined with that eye-catching cover art, led me to assume that this was also a fantasy set in a “green kingdom”. 🤭 I'm a bit disappointed that my first experience of a fantasy author's works turned out to be a non-fantasy. So that's the first thing to remember if you intend to pick up this book merely by looking at the author’s name like I did: it's not a fantasy but a general adventure story.
Caspia is a fitting protagonist. She isn’t perfect, especially at the start when she whines too much at the thought of spending summer in a city. But her character shows positive growth over the course of the plot, like all good protagonists do. I especially like how she always kept her parents and their feelings in mind. Even when she was keeping the letters a secret, she felt guilty about not telling them right away. (She did have her reasons, and they were somewhat valid.) Further, she always kept her parents posted on wherever she was going. I love how she said that if her parents could keep her updated on where to get in touch with them if she needed them, then she too should do the same. This is something every tween/teen would do well to remember.
The usual theme in fiction is for city lovers to complain about having to spend time in the country with its fewer comforts and greater farm smells. The reverse was put to good use in this novel, with Caspia’s issues with the bustling city life always sounding genuine. I appreciate how the author didn’t indicate a direct preference towards which one is better. Rather, the ending establishes how we can make a home wherever we are. The open-mindedness towards new experiences is important.
Adventure stories are quite common in children’s fiction, but this one is a modern-day adventure. This means that whenever Caspia needs some information, she uses her phone to get in touch with her friends back home or searches the answers online. I miss the days when child protagonists uses their brains more than their devices to solve riddles. 😒 Still, this access to technology also creates one realistic positive: Caspia keeps regular contact with her Maine friends Laryssa and Elle (both of whom are lovely), unlike other books’ protagonists whose old friends go off page once new friends pop in. Of course, Caspia does find several new friends also in NYC. The balance between old and new is maintained well, and it is great to see Caspia’s rapport with each of her friend sets without any insecurity or jealousy. There is some token diversity across these characters, some of which feels forced.
The adult characters in the book, though fewer in number, are sketched well. Most are shown as responsible adults, which I really appreciate. It’s so tiresome to see untrustworthy adults in children’s fiction! Caspia’s mom shows a lot of enthusiasm towards new recipes, but she almost never made anything that sounded delectable to me. (Mushroom with cinnamon? Eeks! 😬) I found it odd how the mom, considering her tendency to cook new dishes from novelty cuisines, didn’t know the details of some basic spices Caspia learnt about from the riddles.
Considering how much of the plot is dependent on the location, NYC really shines in this book, even beyond Caspia’s complaints about its heat and its noise. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a wonderful role to play in the solving of the riddles. I loved reading about something other than Central Park for once! 😅
The best feature of the book is the old letters and the riddles they contain. I love that the author actually included the whole letter in the interlude chapters rather than offering us just some key snippets through Caspia’s perspective. The letters have a charm of their own. Though they are the only indicator we get of their writer’s personality, they help us create a decent picture of the kind of person she was. I wish we got to know more about them though. Some parts of their life left me with queries.
The riddles are mostly fun. As an Indian adult and an avid reader, almost all the riddles were easy for me and all of the plants, familiar. To US-based middle-graders, these riddles could definitely have presented a unique challenge. Unfortunately, there is barely any time of research and discovery. The answer to the riddles is provided instantaneously in most cases. I wish there had been at least a little time of suspense to allow young readers to discern the clues and make their guesses. Further, as the story develops mainly through Caspia’s opening of the letters one by one and going in search of the answer to the latest riddle, the book has an episodic feel to it, with each section having one letter, one riddle, and details on one new member of the green kingdom. This formula gets repetitive after a while.
That said, it is worth appreciating that all the riddles have their solutions in the “green kingdom”, i.e. in plants and trees. Plants don’t often get the focus they deserve, so it was good to see Caspia develop a new interest in them. Hopefully, young readers too will feel the same. The plant facts provided are outstanding.
(On an aside, I was quite surprised that Caspia aged almost-thirteen didn’t know some basic facts about plants such as about onions growing underground. We learn all that stuff here by grade 4!)
What bugged me the most was the unnecessary inclusion of the dating-related thoughts and lines about having “fluttery feelings in stomach”. 🙄 Why is middle-grade fiction normalising dating? Why are we letting kids feel like this is something they ought to do at this age? Kids are anyway overly exposed to sexualised content via other media. It is better that romance/attraction-related tropes are left for older-YA books. I would have let this go if it were just one passing mention, but such content came up too frequently for my taste.
Overall, this was a decent read, though not what I expected from my first Cornelia Funke book. The characters and the riddles combined with NYC charm make for a good one-time read.
A part of me still wishes this were a fantasy like the author’s other books so that I could have got a genuine experience of her forte. This felt like picking up a Stephen King work and finding a mellow romance instead of horror – it’s just not the same!
Recommended to nature-loving and fun-fact-loving middle-graders. Some middle-grade fiction is impressive enough to work for adults as well; this isn't one of them.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to DK Flip for providing the DRC of “The Green Kingdom” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plot Preview:
Twelve-year-old Caspia isn't happy when her parents tell her that they'll be spending the three months of summer in New York City. Caspia is not fond of big busy cities, and it's even worse to experience the New York heat after the cool Maine days. Things change when Caspia finds an old bundle of letters in their tiny new rental apartment. Probably belonging to the sisters who lived there long ago, each letter, written in the 1950s, contains a 'green' riddle with many clues and the answer always being from the plant kingdom. Summer suddenly becomes a lot more interesting for Caspia! But can she solve the riddles alone in an unfamiliar city without help?
The story comes to us in Caspia's third-person perspective.
I had heard a lot about this author's fantasy novels for middle-graders. That, combined with that eye-catching cover art, led me to assume that this was also a fantasy set in a “green kingdom”. 🤭 I'm a bit disappointed that my first experience of a fantasy author's works turned out to be a non-fantasy. So that's the first thing to remember if you intend to pick up this book merely by looking at the author’s name like I did: it's not a fantasy but a general adventure story.
Caspia is a fitting protagonist. She isn’t perfect, especially at the start when she whines too much at the thought of spending summer in a city. But her character shows positive growth over the course of the plot, like all good protagonists do. I especially like how she always kept her parents and their feelings in mind. Even when she was keeping the letters a secret, she felt guilty about not telling them right away. (She did have her reasons, and they were somewhat valid.) Further, she always kept her parents posted on wherever she was going. I love how she said that if her parents could keep her updated on where to get in touch with them if she needed them, then she too should do the same. This is something every tween/teen would do well to remember.
The usual theme in fiction is for city lovers to complain about having to spend time in the country with its fewer comforts and greater farm smells. The reverse was put to good use in this novel, with Caspia’s issues with the bustling city life always sounding genuine. I appreciate how the author didn’t indicate a direct preference towards which one is better. Rather, the ending establishes how we can make a home wherever we are. The open-mindedness towards new experiences is important.
Adventure stories are quite common in children’s fiction, but this one is a modern-day adventure. This means that whenever Caspia needs some information, she uses her phone to get in touch with her friends back home or searches the answers online. I miss the days when child protagonists uses their brains more than their devices to solve riddles. 😒 Still, this access to technology also creates one realistic positive: Caspia keeps regular contact with her Maine friends Laryssa and Elle (both of whom are lovely), unlike other books’ protagonists whose old friends go off page once new friends pop in. Of course, Caspia does find several new friends also in NYC. The balance between old and new is maintained well, and it is great to see Caspia’s rapport with each of her friend sets without any insecurity or jealousy. There is some token diversity across these characters, some of which feels forced.
The adult characters in the book, though fewer in number, are sketched well. Most are shown as responsible adults, which I really appreciate. It’s so tiresome to see untrustworthy adults in children’s fiction! Caspia’s mom shows a lot of enthusiasm towards new recipes, but she almost never made anything that sounded delectable to me. (Mushroom with cinnamon? Eeks! 😬) I found it odd how the mom, considering her tendency to cook new dishes from novelty cuisines, didn’t know the details of some basic spices Caspia learnt about from the riddles.
Considering how much of the plot is dependent on the location, NYC really shines in this book, even beyond Caspia’s complaints about its heat and its noise. The Brooklyn Botanic Garden has a wonderful role to play in the solving of the riddles. I loved reading about something other than Central Park for once! 😅
The best feature of the book is the old letters and the riddles they contain. I love that the author actually included the whole letter in the interlude chapters rather than offering us just some key snippets through Caspia’s perspective. The letters have a charm of their own. Though they are the only indicator we get of their writer’s personality, they help us create a decent picture of the kind of person she was. I wish we got to know more about them though. Some parts of their life left me with queries.
The riddles are mostly fun. As an Indian adult and an avid reader, almost all the riddles were easy for me and all of the plants, familiar. To US-based middle-graders, these riddles could definitely have presented a unique challenge. Unfortunately, there is barely any time of research and discovery. The answer to the riddles is provided instantaneously in most cases. I wish there had been at least a little time of suspense to allow young readers to discern the clues and make their guesses. Further, as the story develops mainly through Caspia’s opening of the letters one by one and going in search of the answer to the latest riddle, the book has an episodic feel to it, with each section having one letter, one riddle, and details on one new member of the green kingdom. This formula gets repetitive after a while.
That said, it is worth appreciating that all the riddles have their solutions in the “green kingdom”, i.e. in plants and trees. Plants don’t often get the focus they deserve, so it was good to see Caspia develop a new interest in them. Hopefully, young readers too will feel the same. The plant facts provided are outstanding.
(On an aside, I was quite surprised that Caspia aged almost-thirteen didn’t know some basic facts about plants such as about onions growing underground. We learn all that stuff here by grade 4!)
What bugged me the most was the unnecessary inclusion of the dating-related thoughts and lines about having “fluttery feelings in stomach”. 🙄 Why is middle-grade fiction normalising dating? Why are we letting kids feel like this is something they ought to do at this age? Kids are anyway overly exposed to sexualised content via other media. It is better that romance/attraction-related tropes are left for older-YA books. I would have let this go if it were just one passing mention, but such content came up too frequently for my taste.
Overall, this was a decent read, though not what I expected from my first Cornelia Funke book. The characters and the riddles combined with NYC charm make for a good one-time read.
A part of me still wishes this were a fantasy like the author’s other books so that I could have got a genuine experience of her forte. This felt like picking up a Stephen King work and finding a mellow romance instead of horror – it’s just not the same!
Recommended to nature-loving and fun-fact-loving middle-graders. Some middle-grade fiction is impressive enough to work for adults as well; this isn't one of them.
3.25 stars.
My thanks to DK Flip for providing the DRC of “The Green Kingdom” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I follow the Goodreads rating policy:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Lifelong favourite!
⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I loved the book.
⭐⭐⭐ - I liked the book.
⭐⭐ - I found the book average.
⭐ - I hated the book.
The decimals indicate the degree of the in-between feelings.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog || The StoryGraph || Instagram || Facebook ||
March 6, 2025
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.
#NetGalley #TheGreenKingdom
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.
#NetGalley #TheGreenKingdom
November 5, 2024
cornelia funke spent 13 years writing books that saved my childhood and now she's coming back to save my 20's
September 29, 2024
What a lovely book. This was my first Cornelia Funke book and will definitely not be my last.
Whilst reading the letters I felt like I was transported back in time.
I liked all the characters and watching their friendships develop. The plant puzzles were intriguing and I found myself trying to figure them out before the answers were revealed.
I would recommend this book to readers of all ages.
Thank you to Netgalley for proving me with an early copy to review.
Whilst reading the letters I felt like I was transported back in time.
I liked all the characters and watching their friendships develop. The plant puzzles were intriguing and I found myself trying to figure them out before the answers were revealed.
I would recommend this book to readers of all ages.
Thank you to Netgalley for proving me with an early copy to review.
January 8, 2026
Not bad, given by neighbours for new years gift. Quite young for my age to read but had good facts
March 24, 2025
Caspia is a real Negative Nancy for the first half of the book. She berates her family for dragging her away from all she loves to live in a place she has spent her childhood mocking. She picks at her friends' traits. Really, her attitude was almost enough for me to DNF. The inconsistency of the characters also chafed. A mother obsessed with cooking, and who knows random recipes that include wild plants, has a daughter with zero plant knowledge because they have no garden, no houseplants. Caspia claims she is a country girl having grown up in Maine, yet she has no rural interests. Her entire behavior is rich surbanite.
The saving grace to the novel was the green kingdom and the plant riddles. Rosalind's letters introduce really fun facts about some of the most commonly interacted with plants. We get to learn myths and legends about common plants such as dandelion, mint, apple, cinnamon, nettle, as well as enjoying a few more exotic choices. We experience the plant on culinary, medicinal, and artistic levels. The group of people Caspia meets on her journey to solve all the riddles are eccentric and build quite a community. I was pumped to see all of this in a middle grade novel.
The whole story tanked, however, when the author just had to step onto the soap box. There was zero reason for any of the forced tangents. Each interaction felt like stamping a box on the diversity bingo card to win the publisher's attention. The book really hit zero stars at that point. Since I read all the way to the end, I felt one star was necessary. Then, I decided to include one star for the green kingdom riddles and the personality growth Caspia does manage by the end of the tale. There is no way I can recommend this to other readers, though.
The saving grace to the novel was the green kingdom and the plant riddles. Rosalind's letters introduce really fun facts about some of the most commonly interacted with plants. We get to learn myths and legends about common plants such as dandelion, mint, apple, cinnamon, nettle, as well as enjoying a few more exotic choices. We experience the plant on culinary, medicinal, and artistic levels. The group of people Caspia meets on her journey to solve all the riddles are eccentric and build quite a community. I was pumped to see all of this in a middle grade novel.
The whole story tanked, however, when the author just had to step onto the soap box. There was zero reason for any of the forced tangents. Each interaction felt like stamping a box on the diversity bingo card to win the publisher's attention. The book really hit zero stars at that point. Since I read all the way to the end, I felt one star was necessary. Then, I decided to include one star for the green kingdom riddles and the personality growth Caspia does manage by the end of the tale. There is no way I can recommend this to other readers, though.
June 7, 2025
This would have been a 5 star read if it wasn't for a couple of comments throughout the story. I don't feel like any of that was necessary.
Otherwise, this was a great story. I loved all the plant talk and learning about new plants.
Otherwise, this was a great story. I loved all the plant talk and learning about new plants.
May 2, 2026
"Il regno verde" è un romanzo di formazione per ragazzi che racconta un magico viaggio nel mondo della botanica.
Caspia è una dodicenne che, a causa del lavoro del padre, deve trascorrere i mesi estivi a Brooklyn.
La ragazzina, inizialmente contrariata a dover lasciare casa e amiche, ha modo di rincredersi quando trova in un cassetto della sua stanza un fascio di dieci lettere contenenti una corrispondenza fra due giovani sorelle, risalenti agli anni Cinquanta, ricca di enigmi legati al "regno verde".
Con questa scoperta per Caspia inizia un'avventura che la porta a incontrare nuovi amici, visitare luoghi insoliti, annusare aromi, gustare sapori diversi ma soprattutto a conoscere se stessa e a trovare il coraggio di "mettere radici" in un luogo inaspettato.
È un testo che coinvolge e incuriosisce tanto che mi sono ritrovata a cercare di risolvere gli indovinelli prima della protagonista ed a fare ricerche online sulle piante menzionate. È proprio vero che a volte ci si dimentica della semplicità che ci circonda.
Ho letto che l'autrice è conosciuta principalmente per i fantasy. Beh, devo dire che se la cava bene anche con altri generi. Lettura consigliata.
Caspia è una dodicenne che, a causa del lavoro del padre, deve trascorrere i mesi estivi a Brooklyn.
La ragazzina, inizialmente contrariata a dover lasciare casa e amiche, ha modo di rincredersi quando trova in un cassetto della sua stanza un fascio di dieci lettere contenenti una corrispondenza fra due giovani sorelle, risalenti agli anni Cinquanta, ricca di enigmi legati al "regno verde".
Con questa scoperta per Caspia inizia un'avventura che la porta a incontrare nuovi amici, visitare luoghi insoliti, annusare aromi, gustare sapori diversi ma soprattutto a conoscere se stessa e a trovare il coraggio di "mettere radici" in un luogo inaspettato.
È un testo che coinvolge e incuriosisce tanto che mi sono ritrovata a cercare di risolvere gli indovinelli prima della protagonista ed a fare ricerche online sulle piante menzionate. È proprio vero che a volte ci si dimentica della semplicità che ci circonda.
Ho letto che l'autrice è conosciuta principalmente per i fantasy. Beh, devo dire che se la cava bene anche con altri generi. Lettura consigliata.
June 14, 2026
This was nothing like I expected, and absolutely wonderful! 🩷🌿
I mistakenly thought it was a portal fantasy, but it was actually a contemporary story with botanical elements.
I loved Caspia and her curiosity and willingness to grow. Her Brooklyn and Maine communities were so varied and special. Also, I want to visit a floral shop full of books!
The riddles were super fun, and if readers wanted to solve them, they could pause before reading on.
I very much enjoyed this book! The perfect summer read. 💚
CW: crushes and blushing. Mild lying that is quickly resolved. A side character mentions she "likes girls".
I mistakenly thought it was a portal fantasy, but it was actually a contemporary story with botanical elements.
I loved Caspia and her curiosity and willingness to grow. Her Brooklyn and Maine communities were so varied and special. Also, I want to visit a floral shop full of books!
The riddles were super fun, and if readers wanted to solve them, they could pause before reading on.
I very much enjoyed this book! The perfect summer read. 💚
CW: crushes and blushing. Mild lying that is quickly resolved. A side character mentions she "likes girls".
April 29, 2025
3.5
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was very sweet and heartwarming, and I hope will inspire some green-fingers in kids reading it! There’s so much focus on friendship, and I think the facts about the plants were really great to include. This is a great summer read for kids!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in exchange for an honest review!
This was very sweet and heartwarming, and I hope will inspire some green-fingers in kids reading it! There’s so much focus on friendship, and I think the facts about the plants were really great to include. This is a great summer read for kids!
May 30, 2025
Очень все тут хорошо в книге)
June 24, 2026
This was a sweet story, but rather… small. Just because a story is for children doesn’t mean it should have no conflict and no stakes, yet here we are.
May 20, 2026
As a plant lover, this book spoke to me. Plant facts woven into a sweet story of a girl on vacation with her family made this book a fun read for adults and kids alike.
October 17, 2026
This was an interesting one. Low effort, low stakes and perfect little book to get back to reading with a young protagonist who discovers joy of gardens, plants and life beyond the mundane.
October 31, 2024
12-year old Caspia and her parents are spending a few months in Brooklyn over the summer, and Caspia is not excited. On her first day there, she finds 10 letters from Rosalind to her sister Minna, who lived in the apartment they're staying at. Rosalind was traveling with her father, and would send riddles to her sister describing various plants. This means - of course - that Caspia spends her summer solving the plant riddles, making great friends along the way, while her mum tries to come up with new recipes to go with every plant she identifies.
I haven't read anything by Cornelia Funke since I aged out of the target audience about 15 years ago. I do have clear memories of my dad 'borrowing' the inkheart books after I'd gone to bed and spending several days waiting for him to stop reading so I could start. Infuriating back then, but after reading 'The Green Kingdom' I completely get it - I'd probably steal this off a child too 😇
It's a lovely little novel from an author who clearly appreciates that kids are smart and curious. It's also very likely to have your child attempting to identify every plant she sees for a while (and wanting to cook with it). I'd happily recommend it for all generations - but either read it together or wait until your child is done!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC❤️
I haven't read anything by Cornelia Funke since I aged out of the target audience about 15 years ago. I do have clear memories of my dad 'borrowing' the inkheart books after I'd gone to bed and spending several days waiting for him to stop reading so I could start. Infuriating back then, but after reading 'The Green Kingdom' I completely get it - I'd probably steal this off a child too 😇
It's a lovely little novel from an author who clearly appreciates that kids are smart and curious. It's also very likely to have your child attempting to identify every plant she sees for a while (and wanting to cook with it). I'd happily recommend it for all generations - but either read it together or wait until your child is done!
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the eARC❤️
January 26, 2025
This a delightful and cozy read. We follow our protagonist finding letters from two sisters with hints regarding different type of plants. While dreading spending her summer away, she follows these hints and meets new people on the way. This was amazing! I could not figure out most of the hints, but I loved spending time with this characters. The plants facts were super interesting as well! The letters kept the story flowing super well, alongside the characters that were lovely to read about. The backdrop of Brooklyn as a setting was super fun as well! If you’re looking for a lovely and heartwarming story, this one might be for you! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a copy.
May 31, 2026
I suppose the theme of this book was about trying new things and learning about the plant kingdom. Having read Funke's other fantasy novels, I was expecting something different than this. From the synopsis I did expect a fantasy twist, but this is not fantasy. The content just seemed forced all around...to the characters interactions, personalities, the added topics to be relevant in 2026 and even the learning about the plant kingdom just felt unnatural as if they had a list of ideas they fashioned the story around which never makes for good storytelling.
The attempt to introduce some botany and herbalism into kids lives is commendable though.
The attempt to introduce some botany and herbalism into kids lives is commendable though.
June 22, 2025
4.5 ⭐️ this was such a fun middle grade read. It was enchanting and lovely and a great story about adventure and building community. Some of the writing was a little irritating, which is why it’s 4.5 stars.
May 25, 2026
This was such a cute story, lots of annotations done and I absolutely loved the fun facts and little riddles for each plant that was named.
July 1, 2026
DNF at 35%.
I get what the idea behind this was – “baby’s first introduction to plants.” But my god, there has to be a better way.
Caspia is thirteen years old. Fully a teenager, by any definition. She’s old enough to wander the streets of Brooklyn by herself. She has thirteen years of life experience. And she, unironically, has her mind blown at the variety of plants ranging from trees to dandelions to roses. “Who would have thought there were so many members of the Green Kingdom?!”
… um, literally anyone who has been alive past age five? She’s shocked to discover there are more varieties of plants than just trees and flowers and grass, apparently. I could see this being through the lens of an intrepid seven-year-old to be read by five-year-olds. But I imagine any kid past second grade who picks this up will be insulted, roll their eyes, and go back to their smartphone.
Also, for the record, the entire premise is Caspia traveling from smalltown Maine to New York City. So the idea that she has never encountered plants before, and can only find them in Brooklyn, is laughable. If the reverse were true – NYC girl goes to Maine, finds gardens and ferns and forests and such, I could maybe suspend some disbelief.
And I know it’s a kids book, so the idea is light and fun, but there is no conflict. No challenge. No stakes. Not a single character who is anything less than helpful and charming. Even in children’s books, you want SOMETHING to get invested in, and the only thing to care about here is “Will Caspia ever find a second brain cell?”
I get what the idea behind this was – “baby’s first introduction to plants.” But my god, there has to be a better way.
Caspia is thirteen years old. Fully a teenager, by any definition. She’s old enough to wander the streets of Brooklyn by herself. She has thirteen years of life experience. And she, unironically, has her mind blown at the variety of plants ranging from trees to dandelions to roses. “Who would have thought there were so many members of the Green Kingdom?!”
… um, literally anyone who has been alive past age five? She’s shocked to discover there are more varieties of plants than just trees and flowers and grass, apparently. I could see this being through the lens of an intrepid seven-year-old to be read by five-year-olds. But I imagine any kid past second grade who picks this up will be insulted, roll their eyes, and go back to their smartphone.
Also, for the record, the entire premise is Caspia traveling from smalltown Maine to New York City. So the idea that she has never encountered plants before, and can only find them in Brooklyn, is laughable. If the reverse were true – NYC girl goes to Maine, finds gardens and ferns and forests and such, I could maybe suspend some disbelief.
And I know it’s a kids book, so the idea is light and fun, but there is no conflict. No challenge. No stakes. Not a single character who is anything less than helpful and charming. Even in children’s books, you want SOMETHING to get invested in, and the only thing to care about here is “Will Caspia ever find a second brain cell?”
May 26, 2025
Gorgeous gold foil cover and painted pages drew me in to what should be a sweet, gentle adventure for middle grades. We’ve enjoyed Cornelia Funke before (Dragon Rider, Inkheart) so I was game to preread this for my 11yo (and myself!). It’s about a girl who is skeptical about enjoying a summer in Brooklyn, but discovers a sweet and wholesome mystery in the form of some old letters containing riddles about plants. As she works through them she meets new people and encounters new places and decides Brooklyn holds some special treasures after all. Unfortunately, Funke decided to include one of the main character’s besties being gay. I read about half of this book.
CC: a fair amount of discussion about crushing on boys and girls; a girl comes out to her friend; some discussion of the relationship between cotton and slavery
CC: a fair amount of discussion about crushing on boys and girls; a girl comes out to her friend; some discussion of the relationship between cotton and slavery
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 30, 2025
Such a cute little book! I read this mostly at the beach which was a great decision! I really loved the characters - they felt real to me despite the very idyllic setting of the story. I would highly suggest this book to anyone looking for a simple little story about learning to love a new environment.
March 30, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley & DK for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
I DNF'ed at 30% of the way through.
I will say I was expecting a fantasy adventure typical from Funke but this fact-filled plant riddle story wasn't what I was expecting. I wasn't a fan in the end. The protagonist was super whiny...
I DNF'ed at 30% of the way through.
I will say I was expecting a fantasy adventure typical from Funke but this fact-filled plant riddle story wasn't what I was expecting. I wasn't a fan in the end. The protagonist was super whiny...
June 11, 2026
Probably close to a 3, but not quite a 3.... I did not enjoy this one as much as I hoped I would, especially being a fan of plants. It was disappointing. It was not terribly interesting, except for the plant bits. It reads like a very, very long picture book. My oldest tried to read it, too, and struggled to the point of DNF. I guess it really missed the mark with us.
Read
June 4, 2025I was disappointed, and expected more from this. I am someone who is interested in plants, but I still found this a bit tedious. I do not think this would hold the attention of most elementary readers.
June 22, 2025
I read Cornelia Funke’s other books as a child, so that’s definitely a factor in me liking those better. But the character development and relationship building in this just felt so toned down I couldn’t get into it. 2/5
July 1, 2025
It was super light-hearted but still had these magical, thoughtful moments. The riddles were such a fun touch, and I really enjoyed the friendships Caspia made along the way. Just a really cozy, feel-good read. Recommended for all you plant lovers! :)
August 17, 2026
"Il Regno verde" parla di amicizia, indovinelli e avventura e tutti questi elementi girano attorno alla botanica, il regno verde per eccellenza, naturalmente: alla bellezza della natura e alla capacità di mettere delle solidi radici.
April 11, 2025
A sweet story about plants, friendship, and making the best of being out of your comfort zone. This is a great spring/summer read for kids :)
June 17, 2025
Read this to my nature-loving 8 year old daughter. She enjoyed it, especially trying to guess the plants Rosalind had written clues about. But I thought this book was pretty boring.
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