Milo, Mia and their little sister Birdy are all squished up in the back seat of their car, on the way to a holiday home. All they know is that it is called Rose Cottage. After hours of Dad driving, the satnav is playing up. With the help of a small old atlas, Mum sees they need to look for The Enchanted Wood. A Caution sign warns them, but they keep driving until they reach Rose Cottage.

The excitement of choosing rooms is soon surpassed by a fairy appearing at Birdy’s window, high on the 3rd floor of the cottage. This fairy is as big as Birdy but flitting delicately in the air and mouthing words to her through the glass. The next morning, her family don’t believe a word, as she has always loved fairies and is prone to tell imaginative stories.

Stretching their legs behind the cottage after breakfast, the siblings meet a rabbit. Not an ordinary rabbit as this one speaks – leading them to an enormous tree that reaches up past the surrounding wood’s treetops and into the clouds.

This is The Magic Faraway Tree, filled with wonderful characters called Moonface, Mr Whatzisname, Dame Washalot, The Saucepan Man and The Angry Pixie. The fairy Birdy saw also lives in The Magic Faraway Tree – called Silky.

The tree itself looks like an Oak to Milo, but he’s surprised to learn that different fruits and berries grow on the tree. Peaches, apples or berries are there for the taking whenever they are hungry.

Soon the siblings learn that Moonface is muddled and messy, The Sauceman Man loves singing jingles to go with his sales of saucepans as everyone shops online these days, and Dame Washalot is often tossing washing water down the tree on any unsuspecting climbers. Silky makes magical treats that can change flavour depending on the recipient. She even has golden syrup that dances itself into shapes before you eat it!

But all this wonder is surpassed by a ladder that climbs up through the clouds. At the top of it are different lands that change daily. Not countries like Turkey or England or New Zealand, but magical lands of Unicorns, Bouncy Castles and more. Time is also their friend. Hours and hours are only minutes back at Rose Cottage, allowing the children and their friends many amazing adventures at the top of The Magic Faraway Tree without worrying their parents.

One of my two favourite books as a child (the other being The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe), this retelling by Jacqueline Wilson captures all the charm and wonder of the original, while hinting everything is happening in our time. With very little mention of technology and good-old-fashioned adventure the key, this story holds in fact, many adventures for the siblings.

They squabble sometimes as siblings do, but are also very thoughtful of others around them, even telling Silky to stop cleaning up after Moonface, as he should clean up his own mess. The Magic Faraway Tree was a huge influence on my smaller self and imagination as I dreamed up my own magical lands to visit at the top of the ladder. Back then it was Lolly Land and Talking Animal Land. I’m not sure what I would wish for today – the options are immeasurable.

Dive into this charming retelling and dream up some magical places to visit too!

Inspired by – Enid Blyton

Author – Jacqueline Wilson

Illustrator – Mark Beech

Age – 7+

Learn more about the history and future of The Magic Faraway Tree here

(2022, Hodder, Hachette, Magic, Adventure, Tree, New Friendships, Wonder, Cakes, Honey, Animals, Bear, Humour, Funny, Dangerous, Exciting, Marvelous, Retelling, New version, Siblings, Brother and Sisters, Holiday Cottage, Fairy, Knights, Dragons, Unicorns, Princesses, Princes, Family, Fantasy, Love)