This is a delightful story of a little girl on a quest through a fantasy world that can be both dangerous and welcoming. The fairy-tale atmosphere of the library and the dark forest, the whimsical descriptions of nature and food, and the quirky supporting cast make the narrative shine. Children will connect with a relatable protagonist who feels like a mix of Anne Shirley and Frodo Baggins. The illustrations have texture and whimsy. The message of growing toward the light will satisfy all ages and makes for the perfect read-aloud.

**This review contains spoilers**
Beyond Mulberry Glen is full of action. It was hard to put down. I wanted to know how Lydia would stop the Zs. I enjoyed reading the early release digital copy. I finished it within one week. I loved how there was a mix of Latin words in the story, especially since I am learning it for school. It was great to come across a Latin word I could translate to English.
My favorite part was the climax where Lydia saves Mulberry Glen and her friends.
Thanks Waxwing for letting me be apart of the advance release team.

Beautiful.

This book touched a piece of my soul. Vivid prose, heart-felt themes of change and believing in the light, characters full of their own loveable personalities, friendship and home, an imaginative world of mulberry muffins, tea, fairies, ever-changing libraries, a poet hobgoblin, a dark and evil forest, a stubborn and kind herbalist main character and more.

The whimsy reminded me of cottage core vibes and Anne of Green Gables. The allegory aspect reminded me of Narnia.

This is the perfect book for families to read to one another! Even as a 23 year old learning how to live on my own (who is sometimes discouraged by the darkness and scared of change), this lil book gave me courage.

Lydia is a young girl about to leave her lovely forest home for the first time to find an apprenticeship. Her life takes a little turn when the Z's (her mischievous friends/family) decide to try to fight the darkness using rumors and myths as their weapons. Lydia follows to save them, meeting good friends and learning how to find the light in herself. This was a lovely, hopeful story about friendship and positivity.

*Beyond Mulberry Glen* is a story that deserves its place on the shelf alongside authors like S.D. Smith, J.R.R. Tolkien, and C.S. Lewis. It tells a story of adventure of an eleven-year-old girl who struggles with her fear of change and continues to follow her tale as she ventures into unfamiliar lands on a quest to hunt down the runaway Zs. As Lydia looks deeper into the rumors of Omnis Res Mundi, her path to find the Zs becomes even more twisted, until she finds that her real fight is with the darkness inside of her as well as the one around her.
*Beyond Mulberry Glen* is the home of diverse, lovable characters, from fiesty Prehna to wise Livy. The plot is simple enough for a younger audience to follow along, but the story also wrestles with deep themes and questions as Lydia uncovers the truth of Omnis Res Mundi. The final twist left me in shock. The ending rushed over some details that the audience might have been anticipating to see tied up, which might be my only issue with the book, but as it was only one thing, it's easy to overlook, as the rest of the book is extremely enjoyable.
The simplicity and insightfulness in Millie Florence's writing is one of the best things in this book. I would definitely recommend this to siblings and families to enjoy together.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to Waxwing Books for the ARC!

I highly enjoyed this heartwarming adventure! Quirky characters! A whimsical world! A daunting quest! What's not to love?! I loved the hero's journey of our protagonist.
An almost perfect middle grade tale!
I couldn't give it a full 5 starts because I found the main story meandered a bit before it abruptly jumped into the climax. I would have liked a little different pacing. That being said, the whimsy of this charming world is something I want more of! I'd love to learn more about this world & the stories of other characters we encountered in this wonderful story!

Beyond Mulberry Glen is one of those amazing books that, though set in another world, makes that world so completely real that it is impossible to forget. I have to admit, I was skeptical before I actually read the book, because it was first published by a fifteen-year-old author, but I was wonderfully surprised by the satisfying plot line and the memorable characters. It’s a story that illustrates the importance and beauty of change and contrasts light and darkness in a really memorable way. The use of Latin words and phrases throughout the book was interesting and enhanced the meaning and impact of the story, but made it a bit more difficult to read, since I had to stop and look some of them up. Being sixteen, I found the book an easy and fast read, but still engaging and enjoyable. I’d recommend it for middle schoolers or a read-aloud to younger kids, but it’s a worthwhile book for anyone to read. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

4 stars. I've read both of Millie's other book. I really enjoyed this one. It's such a whimsical and heartwarming story about change and finding light amidst the darkness complete with magical libraries, latin quotes, and a wonderful cast of characters. I read this story in one day; it was captivating and well written.

I received a free e-arc from Netgalley and Waxwing Books in exchange for an honest review.

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a delightful fantasy adventure for the whole family!
Lydia Green has been raised by a philosopher and fairy in Mulberry Glen her whole life. She is on the cusp of being sent out to apprentice, but change is never easy, and she is very reluctant to leave the only home and family she has ever known. One day, The Darkness, and invisible enemy, begins to cause havoc in the nearby lands. When two of her friends make a foolish attempt to stop the Darkness themselves, Lydia feels compelled to go after them to save them. In the course of her adventure, she meets new friends and has many new experiences that help her to realize that change can be good, even if it is hard! Delightful and whimsical language. Rich with themes of loyalty and redemption. Many Latin vocabulary words sprinkled throughout which will be a treat for those readers who are studying Latin. Lydia is studying to be an herbalist, so there are lots of fun plant and natural remedies mentioned throughout. Definitely feel the parallel of the Darkness with depression, which is a timely topic for today's culture. Felt like there was some parallels with Jesus and light/darkness, but nothing materialized along this path in that end.
This would make for an excellent family read-aloud novel... The fantasy adventure will entertain your younger kiddos, your middle grade and high school readers will resonate with Lydia's "coming of age" storyline, and the adults will find plenty of complex themes to ponder over for themselves. Enjoy!
I received a complimentary advance reader copy of this book, however, opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I really wanted to love it. It was just okay. I enjoyed the theme of darkness and light and not wanting change and I love that it can lead to a great discussion. It was a quick, easy read and would be good for older elementary to middle school. It has no romance in it or off-color language.

One tricky thing about writing a children’s book, as every adult author knows, is that you have to really dig deep to find a past version of yourself. Fail, and evey child reader will know it and grow bored of the story—and adult readers will inevitably give you the dreaded critique: “Adults may appreciate it, but I have a hard time seeing its child appeal.”

I bring this up because I have the pleasure today of reviewing a book that absolutely succeeds in capturing the point of view of a young teenager. That in itself is not much of a surprise, once you realize the author, Millie Florence, wrote the original version as a teenager. What is surprising is that, as an adult, she was able to edit and polish it to a mature, sophisticated story, without losing any of its authenticity.

Lydia Green lives in the type of fantasy world my inner 11-year-old feels right at home in: hammocks in trees, fairies flitting about a cozy glen, a kitchen out of Redwall or Brambly Hedge. She herself is human, and as the book opens, she is feeling the very human emotion of anxiety over her future. She is soon to start an apprenticeship as an herbalist, and fears what life will be like when she leaves her beloved Mulberry Glen. Worse, she hears rumors of an insidious Darkness spreading throughout the land, and recognizes it in herself: the dark, hopeless feeling that preys upon her anxieties. Unwittingly, her discussion of the darkness inspiries two foolhardy friends to sneak off on a quest to destroy it. So what is there for Lydia to do but take it upon herself to save them, whatever the cost?

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a delicious fantasy that begs to be read aloud. In the trappings of a cozy magical world, it addresses the very realistic childhood fear and anxiety about change and growing up in a way that every child will relate to and every adult remember. And it’s beautifully done. I closed its cover giving my teenage self a little more grace and forgiveness for the darkness and anxiety I felt twenty-some years ago. I opened it again to share with my own children, so that they have the chance to know that grace while they’re in the midst of it, to understand that the fight against darkness is simply a part of life, and it’s a battle worth undertaking.

Some other things I loved:
~The best cast of secondary characters! We all know it’s the secondary characters that make or break a fantasy novel, right? Mulberry Glen is full of the best sort.
~A setting I’d love to live in.
~A perfectly paced “hero’s journey” with some fun twists (a tiny fairy as the mentor instead of a bearded wizard? YES).
~The most beautifully-crafted book, story aside! Thick, velvety pages; lovely binding; gorgeous illustrations by Astrid Sheckels. My 15-year-old commented, “This book just feels nice to hold.” She’s right.

Beyond Mulberry Glen officially releases on January 7, but it’s shipping out already! (My indie bookstore got me my copy a few days before Christmas, in fact.) Check out Waxwingbooks.com for some lovely preorder goodies as well.

(I received a complimentary electronic copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

I got an advanced readers copy of this middle grade novel and I’m so glad I did! I wanted to read it because it’s by a young author who was homeschooled and self published her first novel at 13. Then met Sarah Mackenzie (IYKYK) in an elevator at a homeschool conference and pitched her book idea and got a publishing deal! I’ve been so excited to read it since learning about it and it was better than my expectations! I loved the writing. I loved the way she describes the scenes and I loved all the wisdom and lessons in the book. I wrote down several quotes that helped me in my own life. I also loved how the characters treated each other and acted. That’s really important to me in a middle grade novel. The ending confused me, but I loved it overall.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If you are a fan of The Hobbit and The Green Ember series, you will love this debut novel from Millie Florence! The story is quick to jump into action and continues moving forward at a great pace. Lydia, our heroine, leaves behind her dear Mulberry Glen to track down her friends, The Zs, as they have taken off to Tenebrae (where Darkness dwells and must be destroyed). Along the way, Lydia makes new friends with hopes and dreams of their own but all on a mission to stop the Darkness and rescue loved ones! I enjoyed all the Latin references, beautiful illustrations, and cozy vibes. Looking forward to more from Millie Florence!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a lovely middle grade novel about facing the challenges of growing up and navigating the fact that things continue to change. Millie Florence does a fabulous job of depicting the natural response of most pre-teens to resist this change with her character Lydia Green and how she is able to grow through this in the course of the story. There are also beautiful themes of light and darkness throughout the story that would definitely lead to some great discussion topics with your middle grade reader. Overall, Beyond Mulberry Glen is a great middle grade novel that I look forward to reading with my own children.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Lydia Green is a teen girl who is approaching the age to launch from her glen out into the world, although she is nervous about the thought of leaving and apprenticing under a mentor. At this turning point in her life, she learns of a darkness that is in the world, and its physical form has taken shape in a forest called Tenebrae, from which no one has ever escaped. Lydia and her loved ones are drawn into a mystery of missing people, the evil forest, and friends touched by the darkness in various ways.

I read this book aloud to two of my daughters, ages 10 and 13. We were drawn in by the captivating turns of phrase and word pictures. The apprenticeships, herbal remedies, Latin, spiritual undertones, and book love in this story would win over any homeschool mom like myself.

The setting and characters were hard to grasp at first. The book begins by dropping us into the middle of Lydia’s life in Mulberry Glen and drawing us into her life as a human girl living in a “family” of a fairy, imps, and a boy, but it’s unclear how she got there, why and how they have become a family, or why they are called a family with children living in different houses.

Although there were some very concerning circumstances happening with missing children, darkness that entraps family members, there was a lot of stopping to smell the flowers as the plot slowed often to focus on details like the amazing library or Lydia’s interest in herbs. It was missing some human reactions and emotions that would give more character / believability to the story. It didn’t keep us on the edge of our seats for what should have been nail-biting circumstances. My girls really enjoyed it, however!

All in all, the story felt a bit like strolling through a boutique curated by someone who loves the same homey things we do. I would recommend the book as a middle-grade novel that will inspire the imaginations of your children.

What a beautiful book! While this was a made up world with fairies, an ever changing library, and so much more that can’t exist in our world, there were so many ways to apply the truths in this middle grade novel to real life.

I’m so glad Waxwing books chose to republish this book by Millie Florence because the world needs to know it exists. I also love love love the beautiful cover!

A couple things I highlighted:

“The truth of it settled in her chest. All the things of the world couldn’t fill an empty heart.”

“And really, an adult is just a child who has been around for a while.”

Thanks to Millie Florence and Waxwing for the arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. Even though Lydia was apprehensive about the change coming; she accepted it. How when her friends were in danger, she went after them; regardless of the danger she’d be facing. She pressed on and found that life still goes on.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Beyond Mulberry Glen by Millie Florence is the sweet, delightful tale of Lydia Green and her quest to bring her friends home when they run off to defeat the Darkness one day. Lydia’s been feeling it inside herself lately, and she can’t help but worry she’ll be too late. Everything started when she was supposed to become an apprentice, and now everything’s changing. But over the course of traveling through the whimsical world and forging amusing (but real!) friendships, she begins to realize that change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. And I think we can all relate to resisting change!
While the theme is easy to pick up on, it wasn’t preachy at all. It was woven beautifully into the story, and fighting off the Darkness inside of her was also a subtle theme that I experienced when I was Lydia’s age. All the characters handle the themes differently, displaying a wide range of characters.
The prose was absolutely *beautiful!* Almost at least once a chapter, a line stuck out that moved me–poetry slipped into the story. Except this poetry was easy to understand, and revealed so many deeper layers in the story. Example:
“You can get lost in a library, no matter the size. But the more lost you are, the more things you’ll find.”
As if subtle themes, fun characters, and smashing prose wasn’t enough: this is a middle grade novel without romance. *mind blown* Lydia does have a few guy friends, but their relationships are all platonic. How often do you see that in middle grade nowadays? I’m all for a sweet romantic subplot if the it benefits the story, and characters are mature enough to handle it well, but that’s not usually the case with twelve-year-olds… And I think that leaving out a romantic subplot was a good choice for this story! It only would have distracted from the real story going on.
All in all, I really loved this story, and highly recommend it to kids AND adults. Millie Florence is a wonderful rising young author, and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Light and Darkness. The struggle to find truth and hope and light, when darkness is looming. This book addresses a big snd relevant topic, while remaining safe for children and not too heavy.
This book was a delight to read aloud. We value a strong story, interesting characters, and adventure! Beyond Mulberry Glen has it all. You know you've found a gem when you, as the parent, don't want to put the book down!!

The only thing that could push Lydia enough to leave her cozy home, is saving her friends. She embarks on an adventure to bring back her friends, but she will face more danger than she mightve realized. The Darkness is overtaking the forest, a town, and its still growing! What will happen when Lydia faces the Darkness? Will she be encompassed? Or will she defeat Darkness and save her friends?

A great middle grade novel that teaches friendship, finding your way, bravery, and hope. I highly recommend!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was honestly blown away by this book. It's quintessential middle grade fantasy and so well-written!! This is the exact type of "adventure to save the day" that we all know and love from our childhoods and I'm so glad that we get a fresh new look on it with these well-rounded characters and magnificent world. I'm a huge fan of fairy tales and this was everything I could have wanted in one. It's a new favorite for sure and one I'll be recommending to other fantasy/fair tale lovers.