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Review: Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen

Book Review and Content, Fantasy, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , ,
Garlic and the Witch by Bree Paulsen

Garlic and the Witch
Bree Paulsen
Quill Tree Books
Published September 6, 2022

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About Garlic and the Witch

Bree Paulsen’s brave little protagonist, Garlic, is back in this charmingly illustrated standalone companion to Garlic and the Vampire, serving up another tale of friendship, magic, and self-discovery. Give both books to readers who fell in love with Tidesong or Witch Boy!

Garlic loves spending time with Witch Agnes, Carrot, and her new friend, the Count, who has proven to be a delightful neighbor to the village of vegetable people rather than a scary vampire. But despite Agnes’s best attempts to home-brew a vegetarian blood substitute for Count, the ingredient she needs most can only be found at the Magic Market, far from the valley.

Before she knows it, with a broomstick in hand, Garlic is nervously preparing for a journey.

But Garlic is experiencing another change too–finger by finger, she appears to be turning human. Witch Agnes assures her that this is normal for her garden magic, but Garlic isn’t so sure that she’s ready for such a big change. After all, changes are scary…and what if she doesn’t want to be human after all?

My Review

It’s been a while since I read Garlic and the Vampire, but I loved the sweet setting of the story and the way that it explored anxiety. Paulsen brings the same tender exploration to this novel, too.

At the beginning, Garlic notices a change to her hands. She now has five fingers on each hand, where she used to have four. She worries about what this means. As she learns more, we get to see some backstory and learn how the witch brought the vegetables in her garden to life and what will happen to them next.

Garlic also continues to help her friend Count, whom familiar readers will remember from Garlic and the Vampire. The two head out on a brief adventure, offering Garlic even more new experiences. (Her favorite.)

I love the coziness of the story world and the gentle storytelling. The characters are so cute, too. Garlic has other anthropomorphized garden friends, like Carrot and Celery. There’s a little hint of romance, but it is a minor note in the overall story.

I got this book from the library last summer for my littlest to read, and she quite enjoyed it. She ended up reading it to me, which was an excellent bonus. I think fans of K. O’Neill or The Baker and the Bard by Fern Haught will enjoy this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Brief reference to a romance between two characters.

Spiritual Content
A witch used magic to turn vegetables from her garden into veggie-people. She makes potions for other people in the village to help them with various problems.

Violent Content
Garlic gets lost in the woods and feels anxious about her problems.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library. All opinions are my own.

Review Once for Yes by Allie Millington

Blogger's Favorites, Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Magical Realism, Middle Grade 8-12, , , , , , , ,

Once for Yes
Allie Millington
Feiwel & Friends
Published March 25, 2025

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About Once for Yes

The Odenburgh, an old apartment building made of brick and blunt opinions, is the last of its kind in a swiftly changing neighborhood. After years of putting up with people and their many problems, the Odenburgh knows there’s no point in getting attached. They all just leave eventually. A truth that comes all too soon when the building is sold and slated for demolition, giving tenants a month to move out.

No one is more troubled by the news than eleven-year-old Prue, who refuses to leave her family’s apartment. Not when it was the last place she lived with her sister Lina, before she lost Lina forever. When Prue launches a plan to save their home, the Odenburgh joins in—flickering lights, jamming elevators, triggering fire alarms—all to try and bring a building full of bickering residents together. In the process, Prue meets Lewis, an eccentric boy who lives across the street—and the only one who can help her discover the missing elements of her sister’s story.

My Review

I love that the apartment building is such an important character in this book. The Odenburgh is a bit grizzled and feisty, but it obviously cares about the tenants, no matter how quirky they are. The story is mostly told from the Odenburgh and Prue’s perspectives, but a few other characters narrate random scenes here and there, including Lewis, the boy from across the street.

Prue’s family still grieves her sister’s death, though they have all been grieving privately. As Prue approaches her twelfth birthday, she feels everything is wrong. After she turns twelve, her sister Lina will never again be older than Prue is. At times, Prue’s grief is palpable. Her commitment to the talk show game that she used to play with her sisters is funny and heartbreaking. I love that she continues to narrate certain events, like her mother’s emotional changes, as parts of the show.

At the beginning of the book, Prue thinks she is the only one grieving. Through her connection with the Odenburgh and their attempts to save the building, Prue learns that many of her neighbors nurse secret hurts and losses, too. As they begin stepping outside their apartments and sharing memories with one another, Prue stops feeling so alone. I loved that transition in the story, when Prue and some of her neighbors start to see their grief reflected in each other’s experiences. It helped them see past the squabbles they had and work together to try to save the building they love.

I’m definitely a fan of stories that make space for grief, since I don’t think we do enough of that in real life. I’m also a huge fan of stories that explore building community– another thing we often lack. This book offers both, and though it’s got some moments that will have readers reaching for tissues, it’s also got some that leave us cheering for Prue and her neighbors.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
Reference to a crush between two twelve-year-old characters.

Spiritual Content
Prue believes the Odenburgh’s flickering lights are a sign that Lina is there with her. The Odenburgh is a character in the story and can communicate through flickering lights, shutting off power, water, and air conditioning, etc.

Violent Content
Death of a sibling (before the story begins). References to a drunk driver killing a young pedestrian.

Drug Content
See Violent Content.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday

I’m sharing this post as a part of a weekly round-up of middle-grade posts called Marvelous Middle-Grade Monday. Check out other blogs with posts about middle-grade books today on Marvelous Middle-Grade Mondays at Always in the Middle.

Review: Nothing But the Truth by Avi

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Nothing But the Truth
Avi
Scholastic
Published January 1, 2010 (Orig. 1991)

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About Nothing But the Truth

When Philip Malloy starts humming along to his school’s daily playing of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, his insistence on continuing to do so even after his teacher, Miss Margaret Narwin, asks him to stop sets in motion a chain of events that will soon ripple out beyond anything Phil or Miss Narwin could have imagined. Phil’s friends, his teachers, and the school administration are soon swept up in the controversy…and that’s just the beginning!

Distinctions and Praise For Nothing But the Truth: A Newbery Honor Book; A Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book; An ALA Notable Book; An ALA Best Book for Young Adults

“The story of Philip Malloy, his family, friends, teachers and school, shouts to be shared.” — The New York Times

“It is clear that Avi is attuned to the modern high school scene. With frankness and remarkable insight, he conveys the flaws of the system while creating a story that is both entertaining and profound.” — Publishers Weekly

My Review

I had several holds that were all about to come in at the library, so I was looking for a short book that I could read in the meantime when I discovered this one.

This whole story is told through transcripts of conversations, memos, news stories, letters, and diary entries. The lack of cell phones and computers or social media as well as how the characters speak makes the story feel a bit dated. (It was written in 1991, after all.)

Despite that, the theme– the truth so easily getting lost in the telling of events that engage emotions– resonates deeply today.

Philip reports to his parents that his problems at school are because his teacher doesn’t like him. His parents assume the issue is personal. When they learn the school asked him to stop singing the national anthem, they encourage him to stand up for his rights.

Suddenly what began as Phil’s attempt to get kicked out of his English teacher’s class becomes this huge media firestorm. It paints him as this humble youth whose school is suppressing his patriotism.

It was weird reading a book that so clearly encapsulates this kind of situation. Yet it was written before the rise of social media and our current “fake news” media conspiracy-minded cultural moment.

At the back of the book, Avi shares how often educators would come up to him at school visits and ask if he wrote the book about their situation. At first I found this shocking. But as I started to think about it, I considered my experiences in which parents and schools operate in an adversarial relationship. So little trust exists between these parties. It doesn’t take much to unravel it.

Conclusion

Nothing But the Truth is a deeply thought-provoking read. The writing style may not appeal much to today’s readers, but the message resonates all the same.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 10 to 14.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Brief profanity used twice.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a romantic crush.

Spiritual Content
Brief reference to prayer/church.

Violent Content
None.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from the public library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Tea Dragon Festival by K. O’Neill

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The Tea Dragon Festival (The Tea Dragon Society #2)
K. O’Neill
Oni Press
Published September 17, 2019

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About The Tea Dragon Festival

Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely! Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago.

With the aid of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep, but Rinn’s real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.

My Review

I absolutely love K. O’Neill’s beautiful fantasy communities. They create such unique characters with a wide variety of skin tones and fantasy-inspired features. This story is set in a different village (and at a different time) than the first book. Initially, I wasn’t sure of the connection between the two stories beyond the presence of tea dragons. But then, shortly after the story begins, two characters from the first book appear as visitors to Rinn’s village.

You could read this book without having read the first book in the series. The storytelling here is pretty gentle, so it’s accessible to very early middle grade readers. My daughter is seven and enjoyed this one.

Rinn and Aedhan’s friendship is such a sweet part of the book. I loved how that developed. I also loved the way that the sleep mystery resolved. I’m looking forward to reading the final book in the trilogy.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 8 to 12.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
None.

Romance/Sexual Content
None.

Spiritual Content
Some characters have magical abilities. Bounty hunters look for a nature spirit that can cause people to fall asleep for long periods of time.

Violent Content
A mythical creature attacks a group. A dragon fights off the creature but is injured.

Drug Content
None.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library. All opinions are my own.

Review: The Rez Doctor by Gitz Crazyboy, et al

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Graphic Novel or Adaptation, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , ,

The Rez Doctor
Gitz Crazyboy
Illustrated by Veronika Barinova
Coloring by Azby Whitecalf
Lettering by Toben Racicot
Highwater Press
Published September 10, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About The Rez Doctor

Young Ryan Fox gets good grades, but he’s not sure what he wants to be when he grows up. It isn’t until he meets a Blackfoot doctor during a school assembly that he starts to dream big.

However, becoming a doctor isn’t easy. University takes Ryan away from his family and the Siksikaitsitapi community, and without their support, he begins to struggle. Faced with more stress than he’s ever experienced, he turns to partying. Distracted from his responsibilities, his grades start to slip. His bills pile up. Getting into med school feels impossible. And now his beloved uncle is in jail. Can Ryan regain his footing to walk the path he saw so clearly as a boy?

This inspiring graphic novel for young adults is based on a true story.

My Review

I didn’t realize when I read this book that it was inspired by someone’s life. The story follows Ryan as he struggles in school, navigates growing up in a Native community, and becomes inspired to go to medical school and serve his people as a doctor. He faces challenges both in and out of school and college, and nearly gives up more than once. Ultimately, he finds his way through school and family life and leaves readers with an uplifting message about achieving one’s dreams.

The story does show some alcohol consumption and some harmful consequences. For example, Ryan’s uncle comes home drunk with his face bruised. Later, Ryan visits him in jail. In college, Ryan goes out drinking with friends and quickly discovers his grades suffer if he does this, so he quits. I think those scenes make it a little tricky to find the right reader age group. The length of the book will appeal to younger readers, but the content seems targeted more toward older readers.

All in all, this is an inspiring story that shows the importance of resilience and persistence. It’s a really short book– only about 60 pages– and written in graphic novel format, so it’s great for reluctant readers. I could see this being a useful aid for a social studies or career-focused school unit.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 14 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
One instance of mild profanity.

Romance/Sexual Content
One image shows a couple kissing. Another image shows a couple at a wedding.

Spiritual Content
Ryan asks tribal leaders and Creator for help.

Violent Content
A man comes home with a black eye and tells Ryan he was in a fight.

Drug Content
References to a family member drinking and getting into trouble (happens off-scene.) Ryan and his friends go out drinking. At one point, a friend offers him some pills.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: How Girls Are Made by Mindy McGinnis

Book Review and Content, Contemporary, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , , , , ,

How Girls Are Made
Mindy McGinnis
HarperCollins
Published November 18, 2025

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About How Girls Are Made

Sex Education meets Euphoria in this dark contemporary novel that tackles perfectionism, emotional abuse, and the dark side of social media.

Fallon is a fixer. From planning prom to organizing her college applications, she’s got it all figured out… except for when her younger sister comes to her with very basic questions about sex. Shocked that she knows so little—and her fellow classmates even less—Fallon decides some practical education is in order. And Fallon isn’t above practicing a little civil disobedience by creating a secret, underground, off-campus group.

Shelby is a fighter. Having her nose broken is nothing new in her semi professional career… but this time it’s her boyfriend that threw the punch. Now her phone is blowing up with texts from a new guy, who tells her she’s perfect, she’s special, she’s everything he’s ever wanted… except for a few small details. Shelby’s happy to adjust for him, because isn’t that what a healthy relationship is about?

Jobie is a failure. She doesn’t have enough followers and her posts never go viral, no matter how hard she crushes challenges and applies exactly the right filter. But a friendly DM from a good girl just like her points her in the direction of a whole new audience of admirers. Guys who just want to talk. Guys who give her the attention she’s always wanted. 

The lives of all three girls intersect in Fallon’s secret class, rumors of which have parents up in arms. Fallon needs to keep herself anonymous, Shelby needs to keep her new boyfriend happy, and Jobie needs to keep her followers… who keep asking for more. Each girl finds herself trapped in an inescapable situation—that will leave one of them dead. 

My Review

Not gonna lie, this book is a hard read. It’s such a compelling story. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, even after I finished reading. These are hard topics to write about for teens, and I think the author does a good job scaling the topics to the audience.

I also really appreciate that each of the main characters seem, on the surface, like they’d be insulated from the kinds of trouble they face. Fallon’s conundrum felt the least unexpected, but Jobie and Shelby both read as the kinds of girls who pretty well stay clear of trouble. Shelby, as a wrestling athlete, is not easily pushed around. Her personality is big, frank, and unapologetic.

And yet, we watch her face intense, painful situations that her physical strength can’t spare her from. As much as she wants to shake off the hurt, sometimes she can’t. Her experiences remind us that having a reaction to trauma doesn’t make us weak. It makes us real.

The ending of the book unfolds at a wild pace, with all three girls in increasingly dire circumstances. Periodic italicized scenes from an omniscient point of view remind the reader that one of these girls doesn’t make it through these events alive.

This certainly won’t be a book everyone wants to read, but I’m so glad that there are books for a young adult audience tackling these topics. Education about abuse, intimacy, and online safety can quite literally save lives. I wish that the book included a note in the back offering resources for readers who need help navigating any of the situations that the main characters face. For example, RAINN, a nonprofit organization, offers help for abuse survivors.

Fans of Courtney Summers, especially Sadie or All the Rage will want to read this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used somewhat frequently. Some scenes show cruel or disturbing social media comments or messages.

Romance/Sexual Content
Fallon and the girls in her club answer questions from other students about sex and sexual situations (pregnancy prevention, STI transmission, consent, etc.) The information stays pretty generalized. The group discusses the exchange of nude photos and how it’s illegal to send or receive them if the person photographed is under 18 (even if it’s a selfie).

Other references to sex. One scene leads up to a sexual encounter. Another scene leads up to a coerced sexual encounter. Later, someone discovers a video of this experience, obviously recorded without consent.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
One scene shows domestic abuse. The story catalogs an emotionally abusive relationship. Shelby practices wresling with a partner. At one point, someone body slams another person without their consent.

One scene shows an overdose. Another shows a serious car accident. Another shows a fatal accident.

Drug Content
Shelby drinks alcohol at a teen party. One character swipes someone’s pain medication and takes multiple pills.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.