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roshreviews's review against another edition
3.25
In a Nutshell: An imaginative story for middle-graders. Loved the focus on words. I wish the pacing and story development had been more consistent, but children won’t be bothered by these aspects.
Story Synopsis:
Eleven-year-old Florence Ibbot loves logic and fairness and words. She also loves visiting her grandfather Davey every Christmas and spending precious time with him in the whimsical village of Inkwell. But she doesn’t know that this year’s visit is going to be an eventful one. The words inside books are being destroyed!
With a magical bookmark, an evil imp, a sentient book, and some devious sorcerers, Florence and Davey have their task cut out.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Florence is an amazing character. I loved how she kept her head even in stressful times. Her passion for words and logic already made her a winner in my eyes.
😍 The vocabulary. Many kids’ books dumb down the vocabulary level, but this book does exactly the opposite. Children (and parents) will be kept busy with their dictionaries because the text truly ensures that it justifies the ‘word’-oriented title. This might go both ways, but as a logophile myself, I loved the usage of words in this book.
😍 The magical elements are thrilling. Whether active characters such as Ben the bookmark or not so sentient characters such as the fleeting feathers, the story is very imaginative in its fantastical bits.
😍 The chapter structuring is quite unique at times. For instance, Florence’s journey to Inkwell is broken in subchapters, with each subchapter focussing on one phase of the journey, and each phase having a quirky location. I don’t know if kids would focus on this, but I liked the innovative idea.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 There are two maps at the start and many B&W illustrations along the way. I loved the maps, but the illustrations left me with mixed feelings. They didn’t add much to the story, and in some cases, didn’t even match the text. For instance, Florence is supposed to be wearing a Tyrolean hat during her journey to her grandpa’s. But the illustrations don’t show the hat at all. Ben the bookmark doesn’t even look like a flat bookmark the first time we see “him”. These are minor issues, but they do make a difference.
😐 The start made it seem like Florence is the main protagonist, but the book goes across multiple character perspectives through the course of the story. While this gives us a glimpse of various characters, not many of them are strong enough to carry the narrative. I wish the story had mainly been from Florence’s eyes as she would be a worthy role model for kids.
😐 A part of the book reminded me of Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth, but it doesn’t match up to the classic. The initial 30-35% feels more episodic, while the second half is very different in style and more adventurous and action-oriented. The two aspects don’t mesh that well, though they have their plus points individually.
Bookish Nays:
😒 There’s a big difference in pacing between the first and second halves. The story meanders a lot before it reached its true purpose in the second half.
😒 Many chapters in the first half focus on the backstory of the character. This should have been briefer as it further takes away from the action and pace of the main plot.
😒 The bullying related aspects explored in the first chapter made me assume a very different direction for the story. I don’t think it fit well into the overall theme as Florence was anyway a confident young girl. The bullying arc would have made better sense if she grew in confidence after her adventure in Inkwell.
😒 The cover doesn’t represent the book well. There are so many exceptional characters in the book but the cover focusses only on Florence and books. I doubt many would realise that this is a middle-grade fantasy, looking at the art.
All in all, the story is very imaginative and highlights the importance of words and the power of right over wrong. I would have liked it better if the two halves had synced better.
Of course, the book is aimed at middle graders, so they surely won’t overanalyse it this much. This will be a nice option for children who love books and love magical stories. It would help if they have an advanced vocabulary, or if they know how to find out word meanings with external resources.
3 stars.
My thanks to Random Things Tours, Silverwood Books, and author Veronica Del Valle for a complimentary copy of 'The Word-Keeper'. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
Story Synopsis:
Eleven-year-old Florence Ibbot loves logic and fairness and words. She also loves visiting her grandfather Davey every Christmas and spending precious time with him in the whimsical village of Inkwell. But she doesn’t know that this year’s visit is going to be an eventful one. The words inside books are being destroyed!
With a magical bookmark, an evil imp, a sentient book, and some devious sorcerers, Florence and Davey have their task cut out.
Bookish Yays:
😍 Florence is an amazing character. I loved how she kept her head even in stressful times. Her passion for words and logic already made her a winner in my eyes.
😍 The vocabulary. Many kids’ books dumb down the vocabulary level, but this book does exactly the opposite. Children (and parents) will be kept busy with their dictionaries because the text truly ensures that it justifies the ‘word’-oriented title. This might go both ways, but as a logophile myself, I loved the usage of words in this book.
😍 The magical elements are thrilling. Whether active characters such as Ben the bookmark or not so sentient characters such as the fleeting feathers, the story is very imaginative in its fantastical bits.
😍 The chapter structuring is quite unique at times. For instance, Florence’s journey to Inkwell is broken in subchapters, with each subchapter focussing on one phase of the journey, and each phase having a quirky location. I don’t know if kids would focus on this, but I liked the innovative idea.
Bookish Mixed Bags:
😐 There are two maps at the start and many B&W illustrations along the way. I loved the maps, but the illustrations left me with mixed feelings. They didn’t add much to the story, and in some cases, didn’t even match the text. For instance, Florence is supposed to be wearing a Tyrolean hat during her journey to her grandpa’s. But the illustrations don’t show the hat at all. Ben the bookmark doesn’t even look like a flat bookmark the first time we see “him”. These are minor issues, but they do make a difference.
😐 The start made it seem like Florence is the main protagonist, but the book goes across multiple character perspectives through the course of the story. While this gives us a glimpse of various characters, not many of them are strong enough to carry the narrative. I wish the story had mainly been from Florence’s eyes as she would be a worthy role model for kids.
😐 A part of the book reminded me of Norton Juster’s The Phantom Tollbooth, but it doesn’t match up to the classic. The initial 30-35% feels more episodic, while the second half is very different in style and more adventurous and action-oriented. The two aspects don’t mesh that well, though they have their plus points individually.
Bookish Nays:
😒 There’s a big difference in pacing between the first and second halves. The story meanders a lot before it reached its true purpose in the second half.
😒 Many chapters in the first half focus on the backstory of the character. This should have been briefer as it further takes away from the action and pace of the main plot.
😒 The bullying related aspects explored in the first chapter made me assume a very different direction for the story. I don’t think it fit well into the overall theme as Florence was anyway a confident young girl. The bullying arc would have made better sense if she grew in confidence after her adventure in Inkwell.
😒 The cover doesn’t represent the book well. There are so many exceptional characters in the book but the cover focusses only on Florence and books. I doubt many would realise that this is a middle-grade fantasy, looking at the art.
All in all, the story is very imaginative and highlights the importance of words and the power of right over wrong. I would have liked it better if the two halves had synced better.
Of course, the book is aimed at middle graders, so they surely won’t overanalyse it this much. This will be a nice option for children who love books and love magical stories. It would help if they have an advanced vocabulary, or if they know how to find out word meanings with external resources.
3 stars.
My thanks to Random Things Tours, Silverwood Books, and author Veronica Del Valle for a complimentary copy of 'The Word-Keeper'. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
andshe_reads's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
"The Words We use shape our world. They are the bricks with which we build our days. So if you have a choice, why choose an ugly word that will make you feel unhappy? It's always better to go for good words. It simply makes sense. "
This was such a whimsical and magical adventure perfect for young readers. I'm 36 and it was everything I needed to finish my 2023. I simply adored it.
Such a charming story about a very special 11 year old girl whose passion for words saves a quaint yet wordly village from losing words altogether.
I simply adored all the characters... they were quirky and full of personality and creativity. The relationship between Flo and her grandpa isn't one to be dismissed it's adorable and reminded me so much of my own relationship with my late grandad. It definitely touched my heart.
Honestly my only critique about this book is the cover... I personally purchase books because the cover draws me to them. With this one I felt the cover simply doesn't convey the story inside and I just wish the cover was as amusing as the words within its pages.
I highly recommend this book for all ages and for anyone that loves the written word. It's just so light hearted and lovely it's impossible not to enjoy.
I received an e-copy of this book courtesy of Random Things Tours & the author, Veronica Del Valle in exchange for my own honest review. Thank you 😊
kristinasshelves's review against another edition
3.0
Genre: Middle Grade, Magical Realism
This was a cute story of Florence, who is basically a walking dictionary. She visits grandfather's home and encounters many fantastical elements on her journey. I enjoyed the whimsical elements in this story- particularly how each chapter was entitled "Within the Walls of Chapter #". This would have been a favorite had I read it when I was in the target age group, but still found it fun as an adult.
I received a free PDF of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This was a cute story of Florence, who is basically a walking dictionary. She visits grandfather's home and encounters many fantastical elements on her journey. I enjoyed the whimsical elements in this story- particularly how each chapter was entitled "Within the Walls of Chapter #". This would have been a favorite had I read it when I was in the target age group, but still found it fun as an adult.
I received a free PDF of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
danyell919's review against another edition
4.0
This was a beautiful book! I honestly think it could have been longer. I would have liked to see the story and characters developed just a little bit more ... but I’m also coming off reading a series with 4+ books in it, so maybe I’m just in that mood! The use of language in this book was amazing. It was an enjoyable read!
ccapaldi's review against another edition
4.0
This is a sweet mid-grade novel set in the secret, magical town of Inkwell. Told with beautiful prose, The Wordkeeper is a fairy tale style adventure about a living book mark who metamorphoses into an evil imp intent on destroying the words inside books. The protagonist, Florence, finds herself faced with the challenge of protecting all language. An enjoyable read.
robynthereader's review
5.0
I am in love with this book! From the beginning it reminded me of a fable, and I love how traditional fable elements were woven into what I assume is the present time. From crossing treacherous terrain to battling demons (of our own creation?), this book was a masterful work of art.
maitaylor01's review against another edition
4.0
Although The Word-Keeper is aimed at readers from the pre-teen market, there are important messages for all ages, from the consideration of the words we use, and the good or harm they can do, through to the way that Florence herself deals with her bullies at school. In light of the times we find ourselves in, this book felt incredibly relevant, and should be on all school reading lists to help children understand the power of the language they use.
The language of this book was so wonderful and just flowed off the page. In my mind I could just picture readers of Florence’s age reaching for their own dictionary to discover the meanings behind the beautiful words used. It is almost as though the author has selected the most beautiful words, and the most fun words to say, and used as many of them as possible so that when they start to vanish it comes as a hammer blow as you have so recently been reminded of the wonder of the human language.
Florence is a wonderful, quirky little character, but it was Ben the bookmark who stole my heart. I loved his interaction with the bookworms, and his chats with the words in the book each night, each of whom had a personality to match their own meaning. As for Grandpa Davey, he really is the grandfather that every child should have, and Inkwell is the town where all book lovers should live.
The book is littered with illustrations that made me wish I was reading the book in hard copy, rather than on my Kindle, so that I could examine them in closer detail.
Veronica Del Valle’s love of language is obvious in every page of this book, and I would urge people of all ages to read it.
The language of this book was so wonderful and just flowed off the page. In my mind I could just picture readers of Florence’s age reaching for their own dictionary to discover the meanings behind the beautiful words used. It is almost as though the author has selected the most beautiful words, and the most fun words to say, and used as many of them as possible so that when they start to vanish it comes as a hammer blow as you have so recently been reminded of the wonder of the human language.
Florence is a wonderful, quirky little character, but it was Ben the bookmark who stole my heart. I loved his interaction with the bookworms, and his chats with the words in the book each night, each of whom had a personality to match their own meaning. As for Grandpa Davey, he really is the grandfather that every child should have, and Inkwell is the town where all book lovers should live.
The book is littered with illustrations that made me wish I was reading the book in hard copy, rather than on my Kindle, so that I could examine them in closer detail.
Veronica Del Valle’s love of language is obvious in every page of this book, and I would urge people of all ages to read it.
em_and_em's review
2.0
I received an arc of this book on netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book was kind of flat in my opinion, but it might be good for younger readers who are ready to tackle a chapter book but don't want too much ''scary'' or ''bad'' things in it.
This book was kind of flat in my opinion, but it might be good for younger readers who are ready to tackle a chapter book but don't want too much ''scary'' or ''bad'' things in it.
ravenclawlibrarybooks's review
3.0
This was a very enjoyable read and the protagonist was very likable! It's a very recommended middle grade book. A tale of bravery, of the love of words and of their importance in our daily lives.
Thanks to Cameron Publicity & Marketing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased.
Thanks to Cameron Publicity & Marketing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased.
readingthroughthelookinglass's review against another edition
5.0
Thanks to the author, publisher and Rachel from Rachel’s random resources for this book in return for my own honest review.
This is a powerful book all about the power of words and language.
Florence Iboot is an eleven year old book worm who travels to inkwell, a place where her grandfather lives.
When words start to disappear from books, Florence must find out the solution to the puzzle with the help of her friends before it’s too late.
This is a book that 11 years and older would enjoy, and also adults. I appreciate how the language of the author highlights the books overall theme “The importance of words”
Veronica is a fantastic writer, and hope we get to find out more about Florence and Grandpa Dave.
This is a powerful book all about the power of words and language.
Florence Iboot is an eleven year old book worm who travels to inkwell, a place where her grandfather lives.
When words start to disappear from books, Florence must find out the solution to the puzzle with the help of her friends before it’s too late.
This is a book that 11 years and older would enjoy, and also adults. I appreciate how the language of the author highlights the books overall theme “The importance of words”
Veronica is a fantastic writer, and hope we get to find out more about Florence and Grandpa Dave.