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3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
3.5 stars, rounded up.
This was an adorable book full of lush scenery, the discovery of old magic, and finding strength within oneself. My favorite part of this were the descriptions of the Bayou itself. As someone who’s not a fan of water (especially water I can’t see through), this book still made me want to go frolicking through the swamp and see all the life there for myself. I especially loved the firefly imagery as they’ve always had a special place in my heart.
However, the writing style just didn’t hit so well for me. The author wrote in very quick, short sentences that made the flow very choppy for me. It often took me out of the story and didn’t necessarily make me excited to jump back in. I also wished we got more from the interaction we finally get at the end of the story. We were building up to it for a long time, and it felt a bit anti-climactic.
I still think this was a delightful story though, and I would certainly recommend it to younger audiences.
This was an adorable book full of lush scenery, the discovery of old magic, and finding strength within oneself. My favorite part of this were the descriptions of the Bayou itself. As someone who’s not a fan of water (especially water I can’t see through), this book still made me want to go frolicking through the swamp and see all the life there for myself. I especially loved the firefly imagery as they’ve always had a special place in my heart.
However, the writing style just didn’t hit so well for me. The author wrote in very quick, short sentences that made the flow very choppy for me. It often took me out of the story and didn’t necessarily make me excited to jump back in. I also wished we got more from the interaction we finally get at the end of the story. We were building up to it for a long time, and it felt a bit anti-climactic.
I still think this was a delightful story though, and I would certainly recommend it to younger audiences.
adventurous
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Maddy is a city girl from New Orleans, but now it's time for her to spend the summer on the bayou. Magic and adventure follow in this delightful middle-grade novel.
This was adorable. Maybe I am a little biased as I have lived in Louisiana all my life and saw so much of my culture reflected in this story, but this was just such a sweet read. I loved all the bits of Louisiana life that were shown in the story and I also really loved the focus on folklore, family, and friendship.
I must admit that I did have a few issues. The pacing was really weird for me and I did wish that the author had done a little more with the story. There were definitely some missed opportunities to make the story more compelling. But that being said, I probably wouldn't have noticed this at the age of the intended audience.
Overall, such a cute, whimsical book! I will happily recommend this to those who want to experience some Louisiana magic, especially younger readers.
This was adorable. Maybe I am a little biased as I have lived in Louisiana all my life and saw so much of my culture reflected in this story, but this was just such a sweet read. I loved all the bits of Louisiana life that were shown in the story and I also really loved the focus on folklore, family, and friendship.
I must admit that I did have a few issues. The pacing was really weird for me and I did wish that the author had done a little more with the story. There were definitely some missed opportunities to make the story more compelling. But that being said, I probably wouldn't have noticed this at the age of the intended audience.
Overall, such a cute, whimsical book! I will happily recommend this to those who want to experience some Louisiana magic, especially younger readers.
A sweet, wistful story about the magic of friendship, family love, and nature. It's also a tale of the environment and how we must mindfully take care of natural habitats.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Death of parent
"I've seen pictures of brown-, blond-, and red-haired mermaids with white faces. I never thought a mermaid might look like me."
Plot Summary: Maddy has to leave her city home and spend the summer in the Bayou. It's tradition in her family, all of her older sisters spent the summer there and hated it. But, when Maddy gets to the Bayou she begins to find a second home, she enjoys her grandma's home and she even makes a close friend "Bear". Maddy goes on a boat rides with Bear throughout the summer where she starts to see things, an arm in the water, a leg in the water and then a head. Maddy believes she is seeing a mermaid but, nobody else is seeing it. During this book we follow Maddy on her journey of discovering herself, learning about her family's past, finding a second home and making a difference in the world.
My Opinion: 4.5 stars- Wow I loved this!! It is a middle grade novel but, it hit the important issues of child abuse, alcoholism, and an oil spill. They talked about oil rigs and how they result in oil spills which impacted me a lot because I plan to major in marine biology. I loved this, it was such an easy read about important topics.
Plot Summary: Maddy has to leave her city home and spend the summer in the Bayou. It's tradition in her family, all of her older sisters spent the summer there and hated it. But, when Maddy gets to the Bayou she begins to find a second home, she enjoys her grandma's home and she even makes a close friend "Bear". Maddy goes on a boat rides with Bear throughout the summer where she starts to see things, an arm in the water, a leg in the water and then a head. Maddy believes she is seeing a mermaid but, nobody else is seeing it. During this book we follow Maddy on her journey of discovering herself, learning about her family's past, finding a second home and making a difference in the world.
My Opinion: 4.5 stars- Wow I loved this!! It is a middle grade novel but, it hit the important issues of child abuse, alcoholism, and an oil spill. They talked about oil rigs and how they result in oil spills which impacted me a lot because I plan to major in marine biology. I loved this, it was such an easy read about important topics.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-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:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
informative
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This was a very quick read for me. Kind of a sad book. I think that it touched on some pretty heavy topics. I loved the firefly imagery and the swamp imagery a lot and Maddy was an adorable narrator. I'm not exactly sure what age group I would recommend this for as some topics covered were alcohol abuse and animal death. That theme could be sensitive for younger readers. However these topics are tackled in a way that would make it easier for a younger reader to grasp.
Good, but the ending was rushed. Read my review at Gator Book Chomp.