What's the Name of That Book??? discussion

I must have read this book sometime between 2004-2008. I don’t remember it as an old book - I think it was set in the modern day.

There was a boy and girl (the boy was the main character). The girl had told the boy that she’d been through this portal to another world and the boy goes second (on his own I think).

The portal is in the town park - in a tree or a tree stump maybe. The boy goes there when the park is locked and has to climb over the fence/gate to get in. It’s an uncomfortable experience for him going through the portal and I remember there being a lot of light/different coloured light.

The boy arrives in the other world in a wood/surrounded by trees - I think there may have been multiple occasions when the characters went back and forth so this may have been one of a few. On this occasion the boy sees one of the characters from the magical world - a man with the head of a dog (a scary character). I think he gets caught by him.

There was a general sense of danger/threat mainly in the magical world but it potentially extended to the primary world.

Most of the details are very hazy to me but I’d appreciate any suggestions!

Could it be the Subtle knife by phillip pullman?

Ellie, that's a good start, but we need more information in the header at the top of the page. Many members only read the headers. We have thousands of book requests.

Copy more plot details from your message #1 to the header by clicking the small "edit" link after the header. This only works on the full Desktop website - not the Mobile website or app. (On the Mobile website, there's a "Desktop version" link at the bottom of the page.)

Was the girl a trainee teacher who taught the boy some fencing skills a couple of times after school before he followed her through the tree portal?
If so, it sounds like the book I'm looking for as well.

Ellie wrote: "I must have read this book sometime between 2004-2008. I don’t remember it as an old book - I think it was set in the modern day.

There was a boy and girl (the boy was the main character). The gi..."
I don't think it is but thank you for your suggestion!

Kris wrote: "Ellie, that's a good start, but we need more information in the header at the top of the page. Many members only read the headers. We have thousands of book requests.

Copy more plot details from y..."

I seem to remember that the girl was around the same age as the boy and I don't remember anything about a trainee teacher so it probably isn't the same one.
I hope you find the book!

I read this a long time ago so the details are vague, but maybe The Kingdom of Kevin Malone? There are a boy and girl in the same grade (early teens, I think) and he bullies her or takes something of hers. They're in a park and end up in another world somehow.

Sounds similar to this series:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/8109...

Ellie wrote: "Mir wrote: "I read this a long time ago so the details are vague, but maybe The Kingdom of Kevin Malone? There are a boy and girl in the same grade (early teens, I think) and he bulli..."

Oh, looks like it was reissued for Kindle, so you can read the beginning to see if it's familiar:
https://www.amazon.com/Kingdom-Kevin-...

Mir wrote: "Ellie wrote: "Mir wrote: "I read this a long time ago so the details are vague, but maybe The Kingdom of Kevin Malone? There are a boy and girl in the same grade (early teens, I think..."

Oops I replied to the wrong messages! I meant to say that I didn't think it was your suggestion! But thank you anyway :)

Bonnie wrote: "Sounds similar to this series:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/8109..."

I'm pretty sure it's this one!! Thank you so much! I'm going to see if I can get my hands on a copy and find out :)

Ellie wrote: "Bonnie wrote: "Sounds similar to this series:
https://www.goodreads.com/series/8109..."

I'm pretty sure it's this one!! Thank you so much! I'm going to see if I can get my hands on a copy an..."

You're welcome. I hope it's the right one.

Here's the Google Books preview of The Secret Country by Jane Johnson - Bonnie's suggestion:

https://books.google.com/books?id=wgx... There are different cover images.

Quotes from The Secret Country by Jane Johnson (Google Books):

A moment later, the dog-headed man threw back his snout and roared up into the sky, "Xarkanadûshak!"
Ben's heart missed a beat, then fell like a cold stone into his stomach.
...
The sprites darted closer - too close. With a sudden leap and a twist that carried him ten feet or more into the air, the dog-headed man caught one of them...