Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Finale of must-read, adventure-packed eco-magical series.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In THE FOREST IN THE SKY, Daisy and her friends are in Iffenwild, ready to sail to the Amazon and rescue Daisy's mom and the other Botanists kidnapped by the Grim Reapers. The morning before the moon is just right for their magic boats to hop into another pocket of the Greenwild, a flock of birds showers the harbor with Reaper leaflets offering a hefty reward for Daisy's capture. The same morning, Daisy's dandelight goes missing—a unique magical tool that could lead the Grim Reapers right into the Greenwild. The worst is still to come when they set sail and Max, the 12-year-old king of Iffenwild, gets shipwrecked where no one can find him. While the rest of the fleet anxiously waits for Max in the harbor of Rio da Floresta, the Reapers attack, and Daisy, Prof, and Indigo run for their lives.
Is It Any Good?
This eco-magical finale is packed with action, natural wonder, and friendship lessons and is just a little overstuffed by the end. The whole series is fantastic. Any kid who loves the Earth as much as they love a good adventure yarn will be riveted. The forest in the sky of the title is a phenomenal feat of world building. It's part Rivendell, the elf home in the Lord of the Rings, and part nature research lab, with trains, floating trees, and rainforest canopy flora and fauna. Sadly, Daisy and friends aren't there long before they, rather foolishly, head back into danger. Even on the quiet island where Max and Acorn find themselves shipwrecked, wonders abound in the form of diamond beaches and curious pocket-sized creatures.
Quite a lot needs to be summed up by finale's end, and here's the trouble. Hostages must be freed, Amazeria must be saved, families reunited or loved ones mourned, and enemies revealed. Maybe if the enemy was revealed sooner it wouldn't feel like so much at once. That way readers can stay focused on Daisy and her brave magical friends who are the heart of this stellar story.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the eco-messages in The Forest in the Sky: Greenwild, Book 3. We obviously can't touch a tree and hear its thoughts like one of the characters, but what other ways can we show compassion for nature? How is curiosity about the natural world a big part of this?
Daisy, Indigo, and Prof show extraordinary teamwork and courage, but are given many rules by adults that they don't follow. When does their rule-breaking help others? When does it endanger others? What are the consequences?
Which eco-magical skill would you like to have the most: the ability to talk to animals, the ability to talk to plants and make them move, or the ability to manipulate water?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Elisa Paganelli
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Animals ( Wild Animals ) , Friendship , STEM
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Curiosity , Empathy , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Farrar, Straus and Giroux
- Publication date : June 3, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 384
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
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