Tails of Tangleby Gardens 1
£24.99
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Tails of Tangleby Gardens 1
£24.99
Tails of Tangleby Gardens is a heartwarming children's book and cookbook hybrid written by Sue Heazlewood and illustrated by Jane Smith. Set in a fantastical version of the author's real-life property in Ohoka, New Zealand, the book blends charming narrative adventures with kid-friendly recipes.
Plot Summary
- The Inciting Incident: The story begins in Christchurch, where a newly married rabbit couple, Marmalade and Montgomery, are hosting an elaborate birthday feast. The celebration ends abruptly when a large yellow digger demolishes their warren, forcing them to flee into the countryside with whatever cooking supplies they can salvage.
- Finding Tangleby: Guided by a pair of helpful skylarks named Skye and Lark, the homeless rabbits discover a grand, custom-built playhouse within Tangleby Gardens and claim it as their New Haven.
- The Community Grows: They are soon joined by an eclectic group of animals, including Vincent and Violet (two mice who occupy a dollhouse inside the playhouse), frogs, and a monarch butterfly.
- Overcoming Obstacles: Across 11 chapters, the woodland community faces and overcomes seasonal challenges through teamwork and resilience. They reform a pair of food-stealing bully magpies with an act of kindness, and Montgomery is dramatically rescued from a sudden flood by a neighbouring poodle piloting a helicopter.
- Resolution: The book concludes in the spring with a massive, joyful celebration picnic on the lawn to welcome a new generation of baby animals.
Cookbook & Educational Integration
Integrated directly into the narrative, the book features 40 recipes that mirror the food the characters eat in the story (such as strawberry ice cream and fairy bread). The recipes are categorised into three progressive skill tiers—very easy, easy, and some skill required—to help children safely build confidence and bond with parents in the kitchen.