Pari Thomson's 'timeless fantasy tale' Greenwild wins Waterstones Children’s Book Prize

Pari Thomson has been named the Overall Winner of the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for her debut, the illustrated magical door fantasy Greenwild: The World Behind The Door (Macmillan Children’s Books), illustrated by Elisa Paganelli.

The prize is voted for by Waterstones booksellers and is now in its 20th year. The winner receives £5,000 and the promise of ongoing commitment to their writing and illustrating career. 

The winner in the Illustrated Winner category was The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish by Chloe Savage (Walker Books), which Waterstones Children’s buyer Nick Campbell described as "a unique story about insatiable curiosity". Meanwhile, the Older Readers category winner was Kayvion Lewis’ Thieves’ Gambit (Simon & Schuster) — a "riotously fun action adventure", according to Lucy Jakes, from the Waterstones Children’s Team.

This year’s Overall Winner follows Daisy, who runs away from boarding school to find her mother, who has disappeared. "Behind a hidden doorway in Kew Gardens she finds another world, filled with plants and bursting with magic, but Daisy soon realises that this beautiful realm is under threat," the book’s synopsis says.
“Pari Thomson’s debut enchanted our booksellers with its sweeping escapism and standard-setting lyrical world-building," commented Bea Carvalho, head of books at Waterstones. "At once a fast-paced adventure story and a heartfelt entreaty to care for the natural world, Greenwild is a timeless fantasy tale of friendship, mystery, and the magic and beauty to be found in nature."
Thomson, who is also editorial director for picture books at Bloomsbury Children’s Books, added: “I am lucky enough to live near Kew Gardens in London, a place full of sparkling glasshouses and carnivorous plants and lily pads big enough to take a nap on. I have always felt that nature was a little bit magic — and Kew made me ask, what if it was true? What if the natural world all around us was brimming with magic? Greenwild is the answer to that question."

Last year, the winner of the Overall prize was The Cats We Meet Along The Way by Nadia Mikail (Guppy Books).