Maddie and Mabel Make a Friend - Kari Allen - ★★★★.½

-
AUTHOR: Kari Allen
ILLUSTRATOR: Tatjana Mai-Wyss
SERIES: Maddie and Mabel, #6
GENRE: Children's Fiction, Chapter Book.
PUBLICATION DATE: May 6, 2025.
RATING: 4.5 stars.


In a Nutshell: A picture book celebrating the beautiful bond of sisterhood. As awesome as the earlier books in this series. Can be read as a standalone.


This is the sixth book in the Maddie and Mabel series, and I doubt I have any original words of praise left for it. I've read five books of the series and each of them has been a winner. (I still feel sad that the third book wasn't available on NetGalley.)

Just as in the earlier books, the content is divided across five chapters, each with an episodic kind of narration that's somewhat interconnected. I like how the first chapter in every book begins with an introduction of the two sisters, thereby eliminating the need to read the series in order.

As the title suggests, we have a new character making an appearance in this book. But is it easy to make a new friend when you already have a strong bond with your sibling? I love how the story explored the changed dynamic between the two girls and reached a beautiful ending.

Conversations are still a dominant part of the content. It's amazing how the two sisters constantly speak with each other, whether they are just chatting or clarifying their doubts or making plans.

The story is written in a simple language, with a good amount of repetition and question-and-answer-style conversations.

The illustrations are as adorable as ever. Thankfully, Maddie and Mabel haven't grown through the series, so they are still cute and charming.

Basically, I never doubted my love for this beautiful series, and this latest book also didn't let me down. It hits the mark in content, writing style, message, and illustrations.

Much, much recommended. This entire series would work wonderfully for readers just transitioning into chapter books. Perfect for ages 4-8.

4.5 stars, always happy to round up. (Every single book I’ve read from this series has earned exactly the same rating. It shows you the consistency of quality.)

My thanks to Kind World Publishing for providing the DRC of “Maddie and Mabel Make a Friend” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

Comments

Post a Comment

Explore more posts from this blog:

Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories - Nancy Christie - ★★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHOR: Nancy Christie GENRE: Short Story Collection. PUBLICATION DATE: October 22, 2019 RATING: 3.7 stars. In a Nutshell: A short story collection filled with characters who face life’s challenges in an atypical way. Excellent plots, characters, emotions and endings in most of the stories. Very impressive, especially for a debut collection. Recommended! This book contains eighteen stories, each of which has a character in a tough situation. When such cases usually occur in fiction, you will see the character’s resilience, bravery, and hopefulness. Not in this book, though. To some extent, the response given by the lead characters in most of the stories to such life-altering issues is more the kind we see in real life. The reactions you find in this book cover everything except anything inspiring. You have characters fuming at their fate, or escaping their burdens, or repeating previous mistakes. The result is a strange medley of disturbing and entertaining. Let me tell you a funny b...
Read More»

Flying in Colors - Padma Prasad Reddeppa - ★★.½

-
Image
AUTHOR:  Padma Prasad Reddeppa GENRE: Middle-Grade Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE: May 6, 2025. RATING: 2.5 stars. In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fiction set in 1970s South India. First person narrative, meandering plotline, interesting child characters, lacklustre adults, emotionally intense themes. Didn’t click with me as much as I had hoped. Plot Preview: 1974. Nine-year-old Pavithra (known to us as ‘Pavi’) lives with her extended family in Madras. Life is an adventure with companions such as cousin Ruku, younger brother Arun, and granduncle Chanki. But there’s always a shadow over Pavi. Her mother’s brother Selva died exactly five months after she was born, and some family members seem to hold Pavi’s birth as the trigger for the loss. Pavi obviously never knew Selva personally, but she feels like she has a strong tie to him. When the grownups in her life don’t offer her satisfactory answers, she uses her imagination to find the way ahead.  The story comes to us in Pavi’s fi...
Read More»

The Professional Mourner - Neil Randall - ★★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHOR: Neil Randall GENRE: Literary Fiction. PUBLICATION DATE:  May 2, 2025 RATING:  3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A literary drama about a young girl with an extraordinary ability and some humans with a limited moral compass. An original storyline, character-driven, whimsical and thought-provoking. Offers the fine balance between comedy and tragedy. Recommended if you are looking for something unusual and introspective. Plot Preview: Right from the moment Milica Stankovic was born, she wouldn’t stop crying. No matter what her parents tried, Milica kept yelling her lungs out, much to the annoyance of the neighbours and other townspeople. Her parents are loving and supportive, and never stop doing their best for their only daughter, whose sobs dwindle but never cease as the years go by. When circumstances go beyond their control, Milica’s father gets coerced into using her as a ‘professional mourner’, ensuring that her wails help other attendees at funerals release their gri...
Read More»

The Magician’s Daughter - H.G. Parry - ★★★★

-
Image
AUTHOR: H.G. Parry GENRE: YA Fantasy RATING: 4 Stars. In a Nutshell: A lovely coming-of-age historical fantasy with magical elements and creatures. Slow but enjoyable. Though YA in style, recommendable to all readers. Story Synopsis: 1912. For as long as she can remember, sixteen year old Biddy has lived on the magical island of Hy-Brasil with her beloved but mercurial guardian Rowan and his magical familiar, Hutch the rabbit. As Biddy is not a magician but still confined to the island, she begins to feel stifled by her loneliness. One night when Rowan fails to come home from his nocturnal outing, Biddy connects to him using his dream. Thus she discovers a little about where he goes every night, what’s worrying everyone in the world of magic, and what enemies lie awaiting Biddy, Rowan, and Hy-Brasil. At the same time, she learns that Rowan has not been honest about his past as well as hers. Can she continue to trust him? Is she safe at Hy-Brasil? The story comes to us in the limited th...
Read More»

The Invisibles - Susie Bower - ★★★.¾

-
Image
AUTHOR: Susie Bower GENRE: Middle-grade Fantasy. PUBLICATION DATE: June 5, 2025. RATING: 3.75 stars. In a Nutshell: A middle-grade fantasy-adventure about friendships, mistakes, and magic. Interesting characters, great plotline, some cool magic. A bit confusing in some segments and some unanswered questions. Overall though, it kept me hooked. Recommended. Plot Preview: It’s tough to preview this book without spoiling anything. The GR blurb also reveals too much. So this is just a barebones hint of the storyline and its key elements. ( I’ll keep my review equally vague so that I don’t inadvertently leak out key plot points. ) Land of Magics – friends – egos – libraries – danger – exile – Wasteland – amnesia – rebellion – adventure. The story comes to us in two voices: one in first person from a narrator who has lost her memory and one in third person from the character who initiates the chain of events. Bookish Yays: 🔮 The very first section of the book, titled “Before”. Outstand...
Read More»