I liked this book; it was good
I found this book on Reedsy, an ARC site, and the cover immediately caught my eye. Even without knowing much about the plot, I downloaded it.
Read: Feb. 12, 2025
Genre: Fantasy
Audience: Children, Middle-grade
Book contains: imprisonment, danger
Purchase a copy from Amazon.ca
Eleven-year-old Fiona has always felt drawn to the woods by her house. When one day, she finds a colourful frog who needs help getting home, she embarks on a grand adventure through magical, musical portals.
I had a basic idea of what to expect, but this book really blew it out of the park for me! Not completely life-changing, but it was fun and imaginative, and I found it a great read for children and young teens. The one thing I could complain about is that it never fully explained the villain’s motivations; I wanted to know more about the interference they chose to enact. Plus, the story reminded so much of a mix between Alice in Wonderland, Coraline, and the trees from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Familiar concepts, but a unique way to interact with them!
This book follows Fiona in third person limited. Very briefly it switches to other characters, but the main focus is our main character, who is eleven years old. Her mind is open to things around her even if she doesn’t know what everything is, and the writing reflects that.
I received a free digital copy of this book for review purposes, and so read it electronically, listening along with a text-to-speech app. The book was so engaging that it just flew by! I could barely put down my laptop!
Fiona is a timid girl at the beginning of the book, but I love how her adventure emboldens her character and helps her evolve. The first real friends she has, Ferris, Arti, Nori, Coda, and others, all help her grow and learn. Such a diverse and interesting cast of characters, providing a bunch of learning opportunities for young readers.
I like that the two main characters don’t get along well right from the start. They’re friendly, but they have some rough patches to work through. It shows that you can help someone even if they’re mostly a stranger. Fiona is mainly timid and friendless because of her freckles, which are large and bright red, leading many “normal” people to believe she has a horrible disease. When she starts on her adventures, she learns that not only are they not bad, but they’re a beautiful part of herself. Her new and strengthening relationships teach her that.
DeMaio’s writing is great for young audiences: no complex or unfamiliar words, fun and engaging, witty, and sometimes silly. She’s clearly a writer of open thoughtfulness, including a vast range of people and creatures and lifestyles, and ways of thought. I enjoyed the natural inclusivity of her writing and the way it makes you think about what’s possible.
As I mentioned, this book flew by! It was a shorter novel, only about 50,000 words, but the plot rolled along almost seamlessly from one thing to the next. One complaint is that by the end, it steamrolled a bit too fast, in my opinion. I personally would’ve liked more explanation about the villain once they’re finally revealed. It also felt like a very open ending, which makes me excited for a potential sequel, but also not open-ended enough to get my hopes up, haha.
Highly recommended for children and parents of children! Encourages creative thinking, inclusivity, and innovation.
Alice in Wonderland Book 1: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Coraline by Neil Gaiman
*Dark Innocence by PJ Alexander*
*The Wicket by Carlee Coton*
Tigerpetal Press is a small book press dedicated to publishing local authors and poets.