Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea – Pari Thomson Q&A

Guest Q&A: Pari Thomson

Author of Greenwild

Hi Pari! Can you tell us a bit about what Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea is about?

Hello, and thank you so much for hosting me on your blog! The second book in the Greenwild series follows Daisy Thistledown and her friends in the Five O’clock Club as they set out to find Daisy’s kidnapped mother and the other missing Botanists.

When they’re sent spinning off course by an attack on the high seas, Daisy and her friends find themselves sailing for a mysterious maritime kingdom called Iffenwild – which might be their only hope in the fight against the terrible Grim Reapers. Once again, Daisy will have to fight with all her courage – and magic! – to save the Greenwild and find her mother.

What are the main themes of the book?

I wrote Greenwild as a love letter to the beauty of nature, and a rallying cry to protect it. The second book is a celebration of our oceans and all their astonishing life – from giant whales to tiny anemones, and from vibrant corals to deep kelp forests. It’s a story rooted in the idea that the sheer magic of the sea is right there, waiting to be discovered – if only we pay close enough attention to it.

In the story, it quickly becomes clear that ocean magic is under threat – something that resonates in our own world today, as sea temperatures rise and coral reefs bleach. Above all, though, Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea is a story about friendship and adventure, and the courage it takes to protect the people and places we love most. There are also wild horses and sailing ships and a travelling theatre – so I hope that there will be something for every reader!

How do you think the book could be used in schools to inspire children?

I hope that Greenwild: The City Beyond the Sea will inspire readers to find out more about the sea and ocean conservation – without preaching or imposing messages on them. I hope the book tells children: you are brave, and you are important, and you are never too small to make a difference.

I hope it also inspires children to free their imaginations and invent their own hidden kingdoms. If you could dream up a magical world, what would it look like? If you could invent your own magical plant, what would it be? If you had water magic, what would you do with it?

Can you recommend any other books with eco-themes around the sea?

Yes! I love Julia and the Shark by Kiran Millwood Hargrave, with illustrations by Tom de Freston. It’s about the summer Julia spends living on a lighthouse, and her mother’s mission to find an elusive Greenland shark. Filled with a deep sense of the magic of the ocean, it’s also a wonderful adventure with family at its heart.

I also loved The Lost Whale by Hannah Gold, a powerful and uplifting story about a boy called Rio who is sent to live with his grandmother in California – where he forms an amazing bond with a giant whale called White Beak. It’s a book about bravery, wildness and the importance of protecting the sea and all its creatures.