The Wood Where Magic Grows by Andy Shepherd

The Wood Where Magic Grows – at a glance

The School Reading Lists’ five word review: Magic, family, environmental, knowledge, disability.
Children’s book title: The Wood Where Magic Grows.
Children’s author: Andy Shepherd.
Children’s illustrator: Ellie Snowdon.
Genre: Children’s Fiction.
Published by: Piccadilly Press.
ISBN: 9781800785717.
Recommended for children aged: 7-9 year-olds.
First published: Paperback July 2025.
This children’s book is ideal for: children who are interested in the British countryside and its ecosystem. It is also ideal to use it as a reason to look closely at your surroundings, what you see, and what it could mean.

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Our review:

Iggy has a new family – or more accurately, Iggy and his mum have a new family. Mitchell and his son, Cal, have moved with Iggy and Mel to a home in the countryside, and everything is new to all four of them. Iggy isn’t sure how he feels about being a big brother, but Cal absolutely loves having one! Together, they begin to explore the woods surrounding their house, and it soon becomes clear that things aren’t quite what they seem.

When their recently-arrived neighbour’s daughter, Mae, introduces herself, the boys find a new ally. The trees of Wildtop Wood seem as eager to welcome the three youngsters as Iggy, Cal, and Mae are to explore the area. The first hint that something special is happening comes when a tree near the boys’ bedroom window begins to weave its way into the room. Then, the little carved wooden animals left to welcome the new tenants come alive. As they journey into the woods, they are guided and helped by branches and vines, leading them to where they are needed most.

Sylvie, their landlady, loves the area – especially the trees – and they are all horrified to learn that the local council considers the woods dangerous and wants to declare them a no-go area. Determined to prove otherwise, Iggy, Cal, and Mae travel further into the trees, only to be dismayed by what they find: the woods are suffering, areas of them are dying, and if the trees perish, so too will the animals carved from their discarded branches.

Discovering the cause of this decline and beginning to reverse it means the wood is saved – at least for now. However, the threat from the local council remains, and, as this is the first book in a new series, it will no doubt resurface in book two!

Our verdict:

The Wood Where Magic Grows is a brilliant story that uses the trees alongside the newly forming relationships within Iggy’s family as metaphors for the changes we all face – whether willingly or reluctantly – as we navigate our ever-evolving daily lives. A new home, friendships, and family relationships are significant milestones in anyone’s life, but especially for children. Adding to this, the instant dependence Cal places on Iggy, Mae’s deafness, and Iggy’s visible birthmark all heighten the challenges they encounter.

This book is written for younger readers and, in some ways, is a little simplistic, but that does not lessen its appeal in any way. The environmental message here is not one of despair or resignation, nor is there an imminent threat of urbanisation or destruction – at least, not yet!

Teaching points and book club discussion ideas:

• The hook line for this book is: ‘Have you ever looked at a tree and seen a face staring back?’ Have you ever seen this?
• Moving to a completely new place is difficult. How did Iggy, Cal, and Mae help each other, as well as the wood?
• If you had a wood at the bottom of your garden, would you explore it? Perhaps you would build a den, camp there, or even draw a map like Mae, which was so helpful to Sylvie.
• Iggy, Cal, and Mae make gifts for Ealdemodor, the grandmother tree. As a cross-curricular activity with art, create natural presents for your nature table that would cheer up a very sad ancient oak tree.
• The children’s new home sounds ideal – a wood on one side and a beach on the other. What would your ideal home be near?
• Do you think Wildtop Wood is unique in being enchanted or magical, or are all woods like that if only you look closely?

Many thanks to Piccadilly Press for the review copy.

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