Beyond the Goosebarley Bush: And Other Stories (Tussel Fleabane Adventures Book 1)

From the secret place beneath the Goosebarley Bush we enter the timeless, gentle world of Tussel Fleabane. He is the Protector of the natural world, assisting the Keeper to intervene where necessary to care for the plants and animals in a rapidly changing world.
We see his frantic efforts as he and Deela the spider, brave fire and flood to save the sundew seeds when their home is destroyed by the creation of a lake for the new owner of Crosswart Copse. We see him labour all night long with the church mice in the organ loft in Bethwood Church to enact his plan to save the laburnum trees from being cut down on the orders of the Church committee. We even step inside the mainframe of the computer at Spellbrook Mill with Tussel as he helps to free the soap-making machines so that they are no longer forced to pollute the millpond with toxic waste.
Although this is a fantasy novel, it describes a kinder, more responsible way to live in our world, by showing us how important it is to always consider how our actions will affect the plants and animals that share our planet.
Barry Freeman succeeds in breathing amazing life into his characters. Whether it's his mythical creation Tussel Fleabane, the animals who share his world, or the computer which controls the soap factory at Spellbrook Mill, all are completely believable, authentic and utterly enjoyable.