Pari Thomson

Ever since Daisy's father's death when she was three, she's been on the move with her famous journalist mother, Leila Thistledown. But Daisy's mom has a dangerous investigation to the Amazon coming up, and she's leaving Daisy behind - at a boarding school. When Leila doesn't return, Daisy knows she has to run away; she and her kitten, Napoleon, go to Kew Gardens, following her mother's instructions, and there they find a door to the Greenwild, a magical world full of Botanists. The Commander, Artemis, takes Daisy in, and she makes three friends: Indigo, who communicates with animals; the Professor, who's driven to get into Bloomquist; and red-headed Acorn. She also meets Hal in the Hidden Garden, and he proves to have an important piece of her puzzle. But forces from the Grayside as well as the Greenwild seem to be "disappearing" any Botanists who get too close to the Amazon, and Daisy is desperate to find her mother - can she and Artemis convince the Bureau to launch a rescue mission? Or will Grim Reapers continue their attacks?

Inventive worldbuilding, magic, friendships, adventure, danger, surprise twists, and the likelihood of a sequel.

Beautiful endpapers show a map of Mallowmarsh, a pocket of the Greenwild.

See also: Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, Amari and the Night Brothers by B.B. Alston, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Cat Valente

Quotes

Everyone always assumed that because she looked like Ma on the outside she must be the same sort of person on the inside as well: wild and adventurous and brave. But Daisy didn't feel like any of those things. She was quiet and watchful, and not brave at all. (8)

...whether they were chasing something, or running away, Daisy was never quite sure. (30)

"You can help us get permission for a search mission. And then we can help you find your mother." (Artemis, 92)

"[The dandelight] works like a compass, you see, magnetized to the Greenwild - always leading you toward the door of the nearest pocket." (Prof, 191)

"Who says what's magic and what isn't?....In a way, everything is magic." (Hal, 232)

How had she not noticed it before, the marvelous detail of everything? (247)

Would Cardew grow up to betray Hal by joining the Grim Reapers and kill his friend to get his hands on [the ghost orchid]? [Yes] (276)

Now, it felt as if her love for Ma had been a bomb that she'd been carrying around in her chest, and that it had finally exploded. (362)… (more)