Jed Greenleaf

By Author / Illustrator

Kieran Larwood, illus David Wyatt

Genre

Fantasy

Age range(s)

Publisher

Faber Children's Books

ISBN

9780571392049

Format

Hardback

Published

24-10-2024

Synopsis

Skin of bark, soul of a hero . . . an astonishing standalone adventure from the bestselling author of The World of Podkin One-Ear.

Albion city is governed by a puppet queen, secretly controlled by Lord Cromwell, and strange magic is afoot as six Guilds all compete to rule it. Although the Leaf Guild is the weakest, no one has reckoned with newcomer Jed Greenleaf's extraordinary ability to transform into a half-tree, covered over with bark . . . he just needs to learn how to harness that power.

Could he be the hero that the Guild needs to win at the Punchbowl tournament? It just might be that this year Jed can turn over a new leaf in the history books, and bring glory to the decaying Guild and peace to Albion . . .

Beautifully illustrated with full page artwork by leading fantasy illustrator David Wyatt. 'This thrilling adventure has it all! A huge heart, a fantastic plot and an irresistible superhero. I was swept away into Jed Greenleaf's world of magical oak forests, dastardly villains and sparkling dryads. I adored it!' Jasbinder Bilan. 'Yet another page-turner. Kieran Larwood never disappoints and his fans will be queuing up the street to get their hands on this epic adventure.' David Long

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Reviews

Sue

It is the reign of Queen Jane III and the Guild of Iron, led by Cromwell, helps her rule the kingdom of Albion. Although the six magickal guilds compete for this role every year, it has been a long time since any guild other than Fire or Iron has been in charge.

When orphan Jed finds himself taken in by the crumbling Guild of Leaf, his extraordinary abilities allow for the possibility of change. However, things are not as they should be and Jed soon finds himself caught up in a world of intrigue where he needs to save his new guild family and fight for change.

Jed Greenleaf is a completely engaging story, enhanced throughout by wonderfully atmospheric illustrations by David Wyatt. I loved everything about it, from its alternative historical setting to its appealing characters. Kieran Larwood's stories just get better and better. Set at an alternate time in history - when Lady Jane Grey succeeded in inheriting the throne from Edward VI and her descendants now rule Albion - the book is full of historical details and references to historical figures, which add much to the setting of the story, giving a realism which acts as a contrast to the magickal abilities of those in the Guilds and creates a perfect backdrop to this intricate and brilliantly imagined world.

Jed is such a fabulous character. Sickly and bullied by those around him, he is full of self-doubt, worried about his abilities and his newfound role as part of a Guild which is far from flourishing. Yet, as the story progresses, his courage and determination lead him to achieve things he would never have thought possible, overturning corruption and righting wrongs along the way. Despite all the cruelty he has experienced, Jed shows unfailing kindness and loyalty to those he cares for, an instinctive sense of right and wrong guiding him in the choices he makes.

There is a rich feeling of folklore combined with a love of the natural world running through the story. Although it looks as if this is a self-contained story, it would be such as shame not to revisit Jed and his friends in another adventure. This is a must-read, perfect for sharing as a class or bedtime story! ‎

448 pages / Reviewed by Sue Wilsher, teacher