Branching Out: Books for Fans of The Magic Faraway Tree

This is an award-winning children’s novel with a positive message about looking after the natural world. Toby is miniature at just 1.5mm tall and he lives in the Great Oak Tree. Toby and his family find themselves cast out of the Oak Tree society when Toby’s father attempts to protect the energy source at the heart of the tree from powerful people who wish to use up natural resources for their own gains, even if doing so will eventually destroy their environment.

The Train to Impossible Places is a whizz-pop-bang of an adventure story that will make readers young and old want to jump on board!

From the moment the Impossible Postal Express crashes unexpectedly through Suzy’s living room, the plot hurtles on at a hundred miles an hour as it twists its way through imaginative realms. The postal workers on the magical train whisk Suzy along with them on their mission to deliver top-secret packages to impossible places, encountering villains, heroes and everything in between along the way. The story is also brought to life by Flavia Sorrentino’s eye-catching illustrations that perfectly capture the spirit of adventure in the narrative.

Super imaginative, action-packed and filled with exciting new worlds and fantastical characters, this book has all the ingredients to be a massive hit. Full steam ahead to the sequel!

A fast-paced, giggle-filled delight, The House at the Edge of Magic is made for sharing.

The story follows the desperate existence of Nine, an Oliver Twist-like character who is orphaned and abandoned. Living in The Nest, Nine must work as a purse-snatcher to please Pockets, the grizzly, revolting, leader of the thieflings. Nine is strong, wilful, resourceful and independent, but above all, she is a child who needs to be loved and deserves to be cared about. The only comfort in Nine’s lonely life is the sanctuary she seeks from the derelict library under of the care of the exasperated librarian, Mr. Downes. Having stolen a mysterious object from a young lady in a scarlet dress, Nine is whisked to a world of quirky houses, frogs’ tongues, relocating toilets and sugar bowls with attitude. It is impossible not to laugh at the crazy antics of the goings-on in the house in which Nine now finds herself.

The characters we meet on this crazy, quirky journey are vivid and surreal. Eric is a troll with a penchant for boiled sweets and who keeps house for Flabberghast – a wizard with a flamboyant dress sense. Only in this house would you think that a kilt-wearing spoon was ‘normal’!

The inhabitants of the house must rid their home of a curse cast by a wicked witch and, with the offer of immeasurable riches as a reward, Nine finds herself determined to help. What follows is a whirlwind of hysterical, action-packed occurrences. Something surprising lurks behind every door. There is a cupboard under the stairs of which I am envious – a locked tea cupboard whose handle magically transforms anyone who touches it and only in the garden of this house would you find giant bats with fizzing, sizzling corrosive poo!

Despite the madcap, zany exploits, there is also a gently beating heart at the centre of this tale. Nine emerges wiser and in some ways richer by the end. She learns that, despite Pockets’ cynical view, life can indeed bring you strawberries and that not all treasures are of the material kind.

From the moment orphaned Dilly arrives on Ollipest Island to live with her grand-Aunt Florence, whom she has never met before, she can sense that there is something unusual about the place, yet she feels strangely connected to it – the storybook cottage is comforting and her aunt is kind, although for some reason distant, and she immediately feels like somehow she belongs.

Dilly quickly starts to notice some very strange happenings on the island, and when she and her new friend Callum decide to go to the reopening of a local museum, things become even more bizarre, and the pair find themselves on a quest to uncover the mysteries of this strange island. What follows is a fast-paced, fantastical adventure where time is critical and the stakes are high.

With mystery, fantasy and adventure rolled into one, The Museum of Lost Umbrellas is an engaging read from start to finish, and it is sure to capture the imagination of KS2 readers. The use of rich, vivid and descriptive language creates a strong sensory experience, and readers will find themselves transported into the fantasy world. I cannot wait for the next book in series!

This is a brilliant book by Ben Miller that will be loved by fans of his previous stories and is sure to get new readers hooked on his books too.

The story tells of siblings, Lana and Harrison (from The Day I Fell into a Fairytale), who go to visit their grandparents and are upset to find that their favourite play spot (an old, hollow tree) is under threat. When Lana speaks to developers and makes a deal she soon regrets, she cannot put it out of her mind. That night, a mysterious golden thread leads her back to the old, hollow tree and Lana and Harrison end up getting pulled (quite literally) into storybook land full of mystery and adventure. Lana finds herself with a very big problem – she needs to rescue her brother before it is too late, but he isn’t the only one who needs her help!

This story is best suited for Lower Key Stage Two children and would make the perfect bedtime story or an enjoyable class novel. At the end of the book, author Ben Miller spends time sharing some of the ideas behind his writing in ‘A Brief Note About Spiders’. When I read this aloud, this part sparked the interest of children in the class and they were fascinated to learn about the real-life animals that inspired the Golden Diving Bell Spiders.

This story is full of imagination, adventure and excitement and makes for a perfect read-aloud choice for storytime. Land of Roar is an instantly gripping adventure where childhood games become a reality for two twins. I raced my way through it, wondering what dangers twins Rose and Arthur were going to encounter next, whilst simultaneously wanting to visit Roar myself!

Land of Roar makes for a fantastic portal story where you can’t help but be dragged into this magical land of make-believe in a story full of adventure, magic and friendship. I love the idea of childhood games coming to life and the idea appeals well to the imaginations of children aged 8  to 10 – old enough to remember make-believe games from a younger stage but still young enough to allow themselves to be swept away by imagination and magic.

Land of Roar is the kind of fantasy adventure that grips you from the first page to the last and keeps you wanting more…so it’s a good thing there’s a sequel!

If you’ve ever stared in awe at the complexity of a mighty tree and allowed yourself to wonder if creatures beyond our knowledge might dwell in its branches, or even wondered hopefully whether there are fairies at the bottom of the garden, this book will validate each and every one of those secret, imaginative musings.

The story follows the adventure of three tiny, funny, eternal beings – also known as the Hidden Folk. When the trio wake from winter hibernation one year in their cherished ash tree home, things don’t go as expected. Their beautiful home becomes destroyed, and the three set off on an adventure to find others like them. They journey through town and country, greeted along the way by a series of friendly and not-so-friendly animals. Will they ever find a place to call home – and are they really the last ones of their kind left?

At the heart of the story are the themes of survival and the consequences of not protecting the natural world. The magical elements add so much fun to the plot and help children to connect with the broader themes, gently provoking questions about how much human actions have consequences beyond what we immediately see. Writer Melissa Harrison explains, ‘Stories were a crucial way in which I connected with nature as a little girl, imaginatively and emotionally….I wanted to write something that was accessible and inclusive, funny and magical – that didn’t prioritise the countryside over the city, and that allowed children to understand that other creatures are as real as they are – that humans are not the only actors on the stage.’

This would make a fabulous read-aloud for children in KS2, and will resonate well with anyone who loved the worlds of tiny people in The Borrowers, The Minpins or Toby Alone. The story sings of the wonders of nature on almost every page, and gives a gentle plea for humans to take conservation more seriously.

Andy Shepherd, bestselling author of The Boy Who Grew Dragons, returns with another enchanting story in The Wood Where Magic Grows.

This beautifully written tale follows Iggy as he adjusts to big changes — moving house and learning to live with his new stepbrother, Cal. But when the boys begin exploring their garden, they discover that the mysterious wood at the end holds secrets beyond their wildest dreams.

Rich with nature imagery and magical surprises, this story is bursting with awe and wonder. Fans of Shepherd’s previous work will feel right at home with the familiar tone, engaging vocabulary, and heartfelt themes of friendship, family, and discovery. It’s a perfect pick for children who love imaginative adventures grounded in relatable emotions.

A gentle, magical story that draws readers to the joys of the natural world, inspires discussion and encourages children to never stop being curious.