by Joseph Coelho
illustrated by Richard Johnson 
 
A (diverse) group of children step down from their tower blocks, summoned by “a tree grown man”, to enter a magical underground world. Stretching out a gnarly wooden finger, the man speaks to them from his “root-grown throne”, telling them of the earth’s “new dangers”: the birds falling from the skies, the rivers dried to dust. He places a crown of “twisted hazel stems” on each child’s head and tells them to draw on their own magic back above ground to bring about seismic change…
 
An atmospheric eco fable which channels hope in to a future generation, children who come down from their tower blocks to conjure the earth up in to a new beginning. A lyrical, rhyming tale full of potency and promise from Children’s Laureate, Joseph Coelho (2022-2024). Johnson’s illustrations create landscapes fired up and drenched by all of the elements, while, from an earth floor of skeletal leaves, gangly tree shapes stretch up, loom over and stride out. ‘Love this! A call to action. Beautiful illustrations and clear, relevant messaging. A modern fairytale / folk tale’ (Edyta, Primary Deputy Head, Letterbox Library Reviewer). ‘An environmental fairy tale, part poetry, part story’ (Kerry, Letterbox Library Staff). Age 4-8, Hardback 32pp