Guest Blog: Andy Shepherd
Author of The Wood Where Magic Grows
The Wood Where Magic Grows – growing the magic in schools!
One of the most wonderful things about being an author is hearing from readers who have taken the stories into their hearts and, best of all, been inspired to get creative themselves.
I’m so lucky that ‘The Boy Who Grew Dragons’ series has been welcomed into so many schools and I am continually amazed by the incredible work that is done in classes.
Positive Response from Teachers
I drew on my own teacher training to write a teacher activity pack based around the books, along with a topic web and book group questions, and my publisher also commissioned teacher resources for the series as a whole.
The positive response from teachers to those resources has inspired me to think about how my new series can also help encourage reading and writing for pleasure, hopefully building on areas in school, such as nurturing and growing topics and Forest Schools.
Resource Pack for The Wood Where Magic Grows
I hope the following resources will be useful for teachers, parents and librarians to use alongside ‘The Wood Where Magic Grows’.
- Download Teaching Resources – packed full of writing prompts, art and craft ideas and curriculum-friendly activities.
- Download Book Group Discussion Questions
Inspired By Art and Nature
I was very inspired by artists like Hannah Bullen-Ryner and Heather Jansch.
And I would love to see children creating their own petal and nature art and woodland warriors just like Iggy, Mae and Cal do in The Wood Where Magic Grows.
Free Trees for Schools!
Check out this absolutely fantastic initiative from the Woodland Trust. You can apply for free tree packs to plant trees with your school.
‘Muddy boots. Big smiles. A child never forgets the thrill of planting their first tree. That’s why we offer free trees to schools, so every child in the UK has the chance to plant their own.’ Woodland Trust.
Inspiring Children Through the Magic of Stories
I hope my story will inspire children to get outdoors, explore what’s on their doorstep and grow lots of wonderful stories and artwork of their own.
Thank you to Andy for visiting our blog this week to tell us more about the resources to support teachers and schools using The Wood Where Magic Grows, which is available to purchase from Amazon or Bookshop.
Our review panel described the book as “a gentle, magical story that draws readers to the joys of the natural world, inspires discussion and encourages children to never stop being curious.” Read our full review of The Wood Where Magic Grows here.
We were also thrilled to join Andy and industry colleagues for a pre-publication dinner earlier this year – a magical evening!
The Wood Where Magic Grows is also a BooksForTopics July Book of the Month and a Summer 2025 Recommended Read.
Readers may also be interested in the following booklists:
- Children’s Books about Plants & Trees
- Growing Plants Children’s Booklist
- Forest School books for children
- Year 3 Booklist
- Recommended Storytime Chapter Books
Browse our curriculum topic booklists for more.
Where next?
> Visit our Reading for Pleasure Hub
> Browse our Topic Booklists
> View our printable year group booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.