Greenwild

“Ma was a political correspondent—but more and more these days her articles focused on the climate too, which meant that Daisy knew more than most eleven-year-olds about floods in India and bushfires in Australia.”

Daisy’s references to climate change serve as a real-world reminder about some of the highest stakes of environmental conservation efforts—creating an immediate focus on climate activism. Leila’s shift from being a political correspondent to someone who covers climate change also indicates the way the novel presents climate change and environmental efforts as a political issue.

“[Matron Daggler] disapproved of people being different, and anyone suspected of this crime was hauled into her office for a stern talking-to. Daisy, with her ‘foreign’ mother and ‘exotic’ eyes and home-schooled background, was more different than most.”

In this passage, Thomson’s depiction of Matron Daggler’s xenophobic mindset uses language that parallels specific racist aggressions. The narrative suggests that Matron Daggler feels emboldened and entitled to make racist and xenophobic comments to students, and her biases render her an early protagonist and foreshadow the later revelation of her association with the Grim Reapers, who chase money at the expense of the environment.

“So, without further ado, I step aside and I give the night up to the children—the best of us—and this Twelfth Night celebration.”

Artemis’s choice to “step aside” for the sake of children highlights the novel’s innate focus on the heroism and agency of children: a key factor of many middle-grade novels. This movement to the side gives children a degree of agency that adults often deny them in real life. This pattern identifies Artemis as a trustworthy adult, even if the children do decide to hide their most important secrets from her in order to maintain their independence.

“Artemis smiled, and her eyes sparkled. ‘You’re right, Daisy. Everything in nature is magic. Even the most ordinary daisy or dandelion is its own small miracle.’”

In this scene, Artemis references one of the novel’s major themes, The Innate Magic of the Natural World. By presenting “ordinary” flowers as “miracles,” she suggests that even the most minor damage to the environment is a tragic loss. Her reference to an “ordinary daisy” also foreshadows that Daisy (who ostensibly lacks any green magic) will prove to be extraordinarily powerful.

“Most of all, being a Botanist means thinking about what we can do for nature—not just what it can do for us. That’s the thing so many Graysiders have forgotten.”

Though the novel often focuses on the ways in which Botanists can control plants, the narrative makes it a point to issue key reminders that humans should safeguard nature rather than seeking to exploit it. This serves as part of the novel’s call to action and celebrates the innate magic of the natural world.

“[The Amazon is] the biggest storehouse of green magic left in the Grayside. We’re trying to protect it, and so are thousands of Graysiders. But lots of the people fighting the destruction tend to…disappear.”

When Thomson’s references Graysiders who fight on behalf of green magic only to “disappear” themselves, her words allude to the very real disappearances of various climate and environmental activists. The reference also reinforces the novel’s message that protecting the environment is a task aided by Graysiders as well as Botanists. By implicitly directing the impetus for action at her readers, the author actively advocates for people to embrace an attitude of environmental stewardship.

“‘So,’ he said, looking thunderous, ‘this is the unaccompanied minor? The one without a grassport?’

‘Indeed,’ said Artemis sharply. ‘Your point, Sheldrake?’

He scowled. ‘My point, Commander, is that we can’t trust her. She’s an unlawful immigrant. For all we know, she could be a spy.’”

The strategic descriptions of body language and dramatic emphasis in this scene illustrate the ongoing power struggle between Sheldrake and Artemis and hint at the pair’s long and problematic history. The negative term “unlawful immigrant” also invokes rhetoric that discriminates against undocumented immigrants, implicitly labeling Sheldrake as a xenophobic person who instinctively rejects anything or anyone that he sees as different from himself. Sheldrake’s hostile attitude leads Daisy to suspect that he is aligned with Cardew, and his cruel words render him a somewhat dubious ally at the end of the novel.

“She felt a huge tug of longing, immediately followed by a rush of guilt. She’d spent her life feeling like a potted plant constantly being moved from place to place, never allowed to put down roots. What would it be like, to belong somewhere like this? To have a home here?”

Daisy’s conflicted feelings illustrate the novel’s focus on The Value of Having a Home, and the simile comparing Daisy to a “potted plant” simultaneously emphasizes her transient lifestyle and the constriction that she feels. Only by fully embracing her Botanist heritage and magic will she finally be able to put down literal and metaphorical “roots.”

“I’m trying to remember everything I’ve heard about Cardew. Nobody really talks about him much. I mean, not in front of us, anyway. ‘Not suitable for children,’ she said, imitating Aunt Elspeth’s haughty voice. ‘So I don’t know who he killed, or how he’s supposed to have died.’”

Throughout the novel the well-meaning adults’ decision to hide crucial information from the children ultimately causes more harm than good, and it is clear that Thomson’s goal is to criticize this parenting approach. The adults’ desire to keep secrets also presents the children with a series of obstacles that they must solve through their own daring and ingenuity.

“‘Planting a seed is an act of hope,’ she said. ‘It means you have faith in the future. Think of that hope: hold it steady, and don’t let go.’”

Brightly Marigold’s portrayal of environmental stewardship as a part of the future contributes to the novel’s convictions about Children’s Ability to Enact Change. Although these words are delivered in Brightly’s voice, the author uses this scene to speak directly to readers and urge them to find ways to support the environment in their own lives.

“But you’re not hopeless, Indigo. What you do with animals—that’s its own kind of magic, even if people here are too focused on plants to notice.”

Indigo’s fear that he is “hopeless” because he lacks talent in green magic shows that although the Botanists’ focus on plants is highly beneficial, they too are subject to unfair biases that drastically limit their perspective. By undervaluing Indigo’s innate skills with animals, the other Botanists effectively ignore an important part of the natural world: the “fauna” to their much-celebrated “flora.”

“It wasn’t good news from the Bureau, Daisy. They refused to grant permission for a search mission. They claimed it would be “a waste of resources.”

The Bureau’s refusal to help search for the missing Botanists indicates that this political entity is at least partially corrupt—though the novel isn’t always clear whether the Bureau is preoccupied by other matters or is responding to Brightly’s interference. This governmental obstacle also implies that true action—and by extension, true environment stewardship—must take place at the grassroots level.

“‘So,’ said Daisy, taking a deep breath. ‘It comes down to this: Craven is kidnapping Botanists. And he’s planning to attack Mallowmarsh. So, until the search mission is ready, it’s up to me to do something.’

‘No,’ said the Prof, looking at her, ‘It’s up to us.’ Her bespectacled eyes shone, and she looked like the leader of a revolution. ‘That’s what the Five O’Clock Club is for, right? One of the reasons we’re friends—’ Daisy felt a jolt at the word—‘is that we each have parents out in the Grayside […] This is about all of us.’”

The Prof’s solidarity with Daisy’s quest proves her to be one of the truest friends that Daisy has ever made, as her nomadic childhood has kept her from building any lasting bonds beyond the one that she shares with Leila. The simile describing the Prof as “the leader of a revolution” also celebrates children’s ability to enact change and to work together toward a common goal that benefits their community.

“‘You know how Grayside plants grow by photosynthesis? Turning sunlight into energy that they use to grow?’

Daisy nodded.

‘Well, magical plants do that too—but they also use lunar synthesis. They turn moonlight into energy and use it to generate magic. Planting when the moon is near full means that the seeds have the best chance of strong magical growth.’”

Thomson connects the magical elements of the Greenwild to real-world scientific principles in order to educate her readers about fundamental natural processes. This aspect of the text allows her to relate her world’s more fantastical elements to mundane, familiar concepts. Moreover, she builds on the connection between the Greenwild and the Grayside, bolstering the novel’s stance that magic exists in all parts of nature.

“Looking at him, with his broken glasses and his knobby knees, it was impossible to imagine that he’d grow up to be the great and adventurous Hal White, the most famous explorer of the century. Or that he’d be killed at the hands of Cardew.”

Daisy considers the child Hal and struggles to understand how he could grow into a Botanist with so many accomplishments and stories to his name. Her struggle suggests that children’s potential for greatness is often present even when it is hard to detect. Given that Hal is really Daisy’s father, his grand list of accomplishments implies that Daisy, too, is capable of great things.

“‘Who’s to say what’s magic and what isn’t?’ said Hal. ‘There’s only what is. You wouldn’t call it magic when a sunflower turns its head to follow the sun through the sky.’”

Hal’s claim that magic exists in the everyday wonders of nature echoes Artemis’s earlier comments to the same effect. This connection between mother and son is now passed on to Daisy, who embodies the third generation of the family. Although Hal claims that a sunflower’s turning isn’t really magic, he also celebrates a wondrous phenomenon of nature, implying that all aspects of the natural world are precious and are worthy of protection.

“The Grayside, with its mountains and rainforests, tigers and turnips, pumpkins and pangolins, was the opposite of gray. It was utterly full of magic. People had just forgotten how to see it. The whole world was brimming with wonder, if only you looked closely enough.”

In this passage, Thomson uses a series of alliterations to create a rhythmic, poetic recitation of the natural world’s wonders, elevating the Grayside itself to the status of a magical place just like the Greenwild. These lyrical pairings collectively emphasize the natural splendor to be found in the real world, advancing the eco-fantasy’s focus on environmental stewardship.

“Daisy swallowed a sob. An innocent creature was dead because of her recklessness, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever forgive herself.”

Daisy’s grief over the death of Bob the parakeet shows that although she is prone to reckless acts of bravery, she is also capable of self-reflection. This dynamic shows that she will grow and learn from her mistakes. Importantly, her grief also differentiates her from the Grim Reapers, who use nature magic to get what they want, without giving any thought to the damage done to the natural world.

“But now I think [the Grim Reapers are] buying and selling endangered plants and animals—And it’s wrong. Just because someone is willing to buy a black rhino or a rare fire-lily doesn’t mean humans have a right to sell them.”

Hal clearly declares his moral stance against exploiting the environment for money. His uncomplicated view plays into the novel’s theme of children’s ability to enact change as his moral sensibility is not tempered by concerns about cost. This moment contributes to the novel’s message that capitalist ideology is pervasive and corrupt, even to those who practice ecological conservationism.

“‘Do you know what they want? The Reapers?’

Hal shrugged. ‘Money,’ he said, as if this was obvious. ‘Power. Environmental destruction.’

‘But why?’

Hal looked impatient. ‘It’s simple, Daisy. The rarer a plant or animal is, the more you can charge for it on the black market. Say the number of fire-lilies left in the wild drops from fifty to five. You can charge ten times as much for them: millions and millions of pounds. So destroying rivers and forests and habitats is a good strategy.’

Hal’s voice was bitter, and his eyes were fierce.

‘Someone needs to stop them. And that’s what I’m going to do, as soon as I’m old enough.’”

Hal’s explanation clarifies the idea that ecological destruction is an active goal of the Grim Reapers, not an incidental side effect. However, Hal’s proclamation that he will beat the Reapers is bittersweet, as Daisy already knows that he will die without ever fulfilling his goal. This truth inspires her to take up the mantle of environmental stewardship herself.

“‘Thank greenness I found you,’ said Brightly Marigold.”

Brightly’s exclamation “thank greenness” offers a linguistic example of Thomson’s detailed world-building, for the author portrays a community in which plant-based magic and ecological conservationism stand as the very height of societal values. Because this saying takes the place of “thank goodness,” the substitution suggests that, to Botanists, being “green” and being “good” are synonymous.

“We may have won the battle, but the war has barely begun.”

Artemis’s comment after Cardew’s death suggests that the fight to protect the environment ranges beyond a single battle against one isolated villain. Her words characterize true environmental stewardship as a long-term war against vast, exploitative forces that use power and influence to hurt the environment and those who try to safeguard it. The scene also sets up the end of the novel for serialization and hints at the likely focus of the next installment in the series.

“‘I can’t believe no one told us that they used to be married,’ said Indigo through a mouthful of cake. ‘It’s just like the grown-ups to keep something like that secret.’

Daisy nodded, watching Sheldrake’s upright figure. She’d got everything so hopelessly mixed up.”

Indigo complains about being left out of information that most adults are fully aware of. His claim that the act of keeping children in the dark is “just like” adults renews the novel’s frequent reminders that children cannot rely on adults to give them all the information they need. Daisy’s musings that she got “mixed up” because she lacked this information indicates that if she had known about Artemis and Sheldrake’s past marriage, she could have made different choices during her fight against Cardew.