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kelleemoye's review
4.0
I know that at first this book may seem like a book that only Disney or Princess lovers would like, but it is so much more than that! So please do not judge this book by that idea! Instead you will find a story about girls who find a deep friendship within each other after being placed in a group at school together. With the guidance of an amazing educator, they look deep within themselves and join as a group while still celebrating their individuality.
Now, as someone who DOES love Disney and Disney princesses, I loved the angle that this book took! After the first assignment by their group teacher, the girls are asked to write about a princess who they connect with. Milla and her friends are using the strengths of the princesses as inspiration to build their own strengths. For example, Milla feels like her life is very sheltered, and she loves to write, so she finds inspiration in Belle. Ruby, who is athletic and prides herself in her strength, first struggles to connect with a princess but then she realizes that Mulan is a person that is very much who she would like to be. And each girl does her own reflection (written in her own words in a journal format).
This first book focuses on Milla, but we get to know all the girls through the inclusion of the journals and from Milla’s point of view. I assume that future books will also be in different points of view to allow readers to get to know more in depth each of the characters. I look forward to future books to see where Piper, Milla, Mariana, Ruby, Zahra and Ms. Bancroft go next!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=16971
Now, as someone who DOES love Disney and Disney princesses, I loved the angle that this book took! After the first assignment by their group teacher, the girls are asked to write about a princess who they connect with. Milla and her friends are using the strengths of the princesses as inspiration to build their own strengths. For example, Milla feels like her life is very sheltered, and she loves to write, so she finds inspiration in Belle. Ruby, who is athletic and prides herself in her strength, first struggles to connect with a princess but then she realizes that Mulan is a person that is very much who she would like to be. And each girl does her own reflection (written in her own words in a journal format).
This first book focuses on Milla, but we get to know all the girls through the inclusion of the journals and from Milla’s point of view. I assume that future books will also be in different points of view to allow readers to get to know more in depth each of the characters. I look forward to future books to see where Piper, Milla, Mariana, Ruby, Zahra and Ms. Bancroft go next!
Full review with teaching tools: http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=16971
sqeeker's review
3.0
- I liked the idea of this series, but the book tried WAY too hard to accomplish its goals. It got old, and Gnome and I got bored for a while.
- The girls are very similar to My Little Ponies. Just look at the cover, and you can probably guess which girl is which pony.
- The book is pretty slow until they arrive at camp, which isn't until the very end.
- I liked that the girl's related to Disney princesses, and grew and learned more about themselves because of that.
Gnome's Thoughts:
- It's like ponies.
- I liked Ruby. She had a fun personality.
- The girls are very similar to My Little Ponies. Just look at the cover, and you can probably guess which girl is which pony.
- The book is pretty slow until they arrive at camp, which isn't until the very end.
- I liked that the girl's related to Disney princesses, and grew and learned more about themselves because of that.
Gnome's Thoughts:
- It's like ponies.
- I liked Ruby. She had a fun personality.
mindfullibrarian's review
4.0
Thanks so much to the author for sharing a free review copy of this book with @kidlitexchange!
*
What a sweet story, and a wonderful start to a brand-new series. While the girls in this book are in 5th grade, I think the Daring Dreamer series will resonate perfectly with students in grades 2 - 5. It is written in a very accessible way and features a (subtle) connection to Disney princesses that even readers not old enough to read this on their own would greatly enjoy in a read aloud. I absolutely adored the strong females throughout the book and the racial, cultural, and family diversity filling the story. In addition, this is one of the VERY few middle grade stories I have read with a main character who has severe food allergies, so this is a definite win in that department!
*
I have already added this to my summer order list for my elementary school library and can't wait to hand it to students next fall!
*
What a sweet story, and a wonderful start to a brand-new series. While the girls in this book are in 5th grade, I think the Daring Dreamer series will resonate perfectly with students in grades 2 - 5. It is written in a very accessible way and features a (subtle) connection to Disney princesses that even readers not old enough to read this on their own would greatly enjoy in a read aloud. I absolutely adored the strong females throughout the book and the racial, cultural, and family diversity filling the story. In addition, this is one of the VERY few middle grade stories I have read with a main character who has severe food allergies, so this is a definite win in that department!
*
I have already added this to my summer order list for my elementary school library and can't wait to hand it to students next fall!
lawbooks600's review
3.0
Representation: Black main character and side non-white characters
6.5/10, I guess I wasn't the right person to read this, since the characters seem to have no flaws. Did like the cultural representation though.
6.5/10, I guess I wasn't the right person to read this, since the characters seem to have no flaws. Did like the cultural representation though.
ellieafterall's review
4.0
That was SO cute. I’m glad I chose this to review for MN! really wish I had this when I was in 5th grade :))
readingthroughtheages's review
5.0
Love this first book in a series. Disney Princess enthusiasts will love finding strands of their favorite Princesses woven into this story. Even if you aren't familiar with the Disney Princesses, you'll enjoy meeting these girls and going along on their adventures.
wordnerd153's review
4.0
A quick and entertaining read about new friendships, believing in yourself and celebrating that which makes you unique. Looking forward to book 2.
dtaylorbooks's review
4.0
I don’t usually read middle grade (or is this a chapter book? no, I think it’s middle grade), but when Disney pitched this to me for review it just sounded so cute and I didn’t want to pass it up. I knew it’d be a quick read so why not? It doesn’t hurt to get out of my comfort zone every once in a while.
This is book one in the Daring Dreamers Club series and I imagine each book is going to follow one of the girls in the group (based on the snippet at the end of this one, Piper’s up next). We start with Milla who’s front and center on the cover and she wants to go on the fifth grade overnight, but her moms are really protective and she’s afraid they’re not going to let her go. So she tries to do these things that she thinks will make her look more grown up and responsible, but they end up going wrong and she feels her chances of going on this trip keep slipping through her fingers.
First kudos on representation. This book has it in spades, from the diversity of the Daring Dreamers Club itself to Milla’s moms, this book approaches representation, I think, really well. It’s simply there and no one thinks anything of it. People have their differences, everyone’s really accepting of everything, and it creates for a really nice story. At the same time there is some suspension of disbelief required, but considering the target audience I imagine that’s far easier than someone like me reading the book. To keep it focused on Milla, I think the reality of her having two moms would cause some hurdles with her in school, but I think in the interest of not overcomplicating the story (and I think digging in that deep on something like that is more YA territory) and keeping it on Milla, whose food allergies and a past incident with a dog attack keep her parents hyper-attentive, and not her moms, and keeping it fairly lighthearted, it stays what it is. Again, middle grade is not something I read normally so I’m guessing a lot here.
I do like how everyone’s differences are emphasized in how they relate to the story as opposed to THIS PERSON IS THIS and THAT PERSON IS THAT. For instance Milla’s new friend Zahra is Muslim and when Milla invites everyone over to play with her pet pig, Zahra brings up that she’s Muslim and pigs are considered unclean so she can’t really touch him but let her ask her parents to see what would work. It’s not a THING that takes over the plot. It’s simply this is what’s going on in Zahra’s life and she has to make accommodations. Just like Milla has to make accommodations with her allergies. There’s a definite message of everyone is living different lives, but everyone’s still compatible so long as they’re willing to work together to accommodate the differences that everyone brings to the table.
It’s a cute book. I do wish the Disney princess aspect was brought into the story a little more. That’s more of a thing on the cover of the book than within the book itself. As part of an assignment the girls are made to choose a Disney princess that best suits them. And they all do, but the book cover alludes to all of the girls really being into Disney princesses, but that’s not the case. I don’t have an issue with the way it’s in the story, but the log line on the back cover is a little misleading.
Anyway, it’s a fresh story that’s really compelling with some great, strong, intelligent characters and I’m looking forward to reading more about them!
4
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is book one in the Daring Dreamers Club series and I imagine each book is going to follow one of the girls in the group (based on the snippet at the end of this one, Piper’s up next). We start with Milla who’s front and center on the cover and she wants to go on the fifth grade overnight, but her moms are really protective and she’s afraid they’re not going to let her go. So she tries to do these things that she thinks will make her look more grown up and responsible, but they end up going wrong and she feels her chances of going on this trip keep slipping through her fingers.
First kudos on representation. This book has it in spades, from the diversity of the Daring Dreamers Club itself to Milla’s moms, this book approaches representation, I think, really well. It’s simply there and no one thinks anything of it. People have their differences, everyone’s really accepting of everything, and it creates for a really nice story. At the same time there is some suspension of disbelief required, but considering the target audience I imagine that’s far easier than someone like me reading the book. To keep it focused on Milla, I think the reality of her having two moms would cause some hurdles with her in school, but I think in the interest of not overcomplicating the story (and I think digging in that deep on something like that is more YA territory) and keeping it on Milla, whose food allergies and a past incident with a dog attack keep her parents hyper-attentive, and not her moms, and keeping it fairly lighthearted, it stays what it is. Again, middle grade is not something I read normally so I’m guessing a lot here.
I do like how everyone’s differences are emphasized in how they relate to the story as opposed to THIS PERSON IS THIS and THAT PERSON IS THAT. For instance Milla’s new friend Zahra is Muslim and when Milla invites everyone over to play with her pet pig, Zahra brings up that she’s Muslim and pigs are considered unclean so she can’t really touch him but let her ask her parents to see what would work. It’s not a THING that takes over the plot. It’s simply this is what’s going on in Zahra’s life and she has to make accommodations. Just like Milla has to make accommodations with her allergies. There’s a definite message of everyone is living different lives, but everyone’s still compatible so long as they’re willing to work together to accommodate the differences that everyone brings to the table.
It’s a cute book. I do wish the Disney princess aspect was brought into the story a little more. That’s more of a thing on the cover of the book than within the book itself. As part of an assignment the girls are made to choose a Disney princess that best suits them. And they all do, but the book cover alludes to all of the girls really being into Disney princesses, but that’s not the case. I don’t have an issue with the way it’s in the story, but the log line on the back cover is a little misleading.
Anyway, it’s a fresh story that’s really compelling with some great, strong, intelligent characters and I’m looking forward to reading more about them!
4
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
barberchicago_books's review
4.0
Loved the first book in this younger middle-grade series! The ties into he Disney princesses are sweet but not too young, and I really likes the variety of characters and the underlying messages of resilience and friendship. Looking forward to learning about the other four girls in the Daring Dreamers Club!
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