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.

This was a lovely little middle grade novel about filling the world with light, about growing up slowly and not being afraid, and about found family.

I think that kids who love nature and adventure and magical libraries would love this book!

It was slow moving, but the pace was steady. Even the more intense moments had a gentle pace and a sense of waiting, rather than anxious motion.

While I felt that some of the plot points were underdeveloped and some of the characters were lacking, this was still a lovely little story.

Peaceful. Kind. Gentle.

I received an arc via Netgalley, all opinions are my own.

Loved this. A delightful middle grade. Solid plot. Strong character development. Couldn’t put it down. Would make an excellent read aloud.

I really enjoyed this lovely book by Millie Florence. The plot was exciting, and the twists near the end were surprising and satisfying. The themes of light and darkness, coming of age, and finding one's purpose were portrayed in a lyrical fashion that will entrance young readers but still offer depth to older children and teens. The artistic renderings on the chapter headings were lovely, and the Latin that was woven throughout the book was fun to translate. Looking forward to reading it with my children!
(I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This was such a fun and sweet yet complex story. Very strong captivating characters full of personality. The setting is a very beautiful place, somewhere I would love to visit and the description made it feel very much like I was there. I loved the dark and light themes and truly it was a great story, very well written! Hoping for a sequel because I want to know more!!

I enjoyed this book and the world Millie Florence created in it immensely, and so my stars are four rather than five because I wanted more. I wanted to spend more time in the town, in the Library, and I wanted to get to know some of the side characters better. But I loved Lydia's quest, and her struggle with the Darkness gives readers a lot to think about.

Perhaps Florence will write a sequel, where we get to hear more of Prenha's story. I will definitely read it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I have already pre-ordered another copy.

What a lovely middle grade novel! Beyond Mulberry Glen is a middle grade novel with a protagonist readers will love and relate to. This cozy story follows Lydia, a girl who must test her strength, wits, and character while rescuing her friends, twins Zale and Zamilla.

The half imp-half human twins go missing after hearing about a Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds, consuming entire communities. Little do they know that Lydia knows first hand about the feelings of the Darkness. When the twins secretly leave to find the cure for the Darkness, Lydia leaves her cosy tree house home to rescue them.
Full of herbs, teas, and all things cosy nature, this fantasy follows Lydia and the cast of characters she meets along the way, on her adventure through towns and forests.

Will they stop the Darkness? Can she find Sale and Zamilla before it's too late?
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I love the atmospheric tone of this book. Readers will be engulfed by the world Florence has crafted with its nature-themed, cosy, bookish setting.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a story of moving bookshelves, herbs, and friendship with a little bit of Latin sprinkled in for good measure. This story has a theme of light woven throughout and reminds the reader that even in the darkest of dark, hope can be found in the light. This book is perfect for readers who love mystery, adventure, and excitement! I recommend it for ages 10 and above. My children said it was one of their new favorite books which is saying a lot as we are constantly reading fabulous books that are well loved. I received a complimentary copy of this book and all opinions expressed in this review are my own. I hope you will grab a copy of this book and sit down with a cup of herbal tea and enjoy!

3.5 stars

This is my first time reading a book by Millie Florence, I was attracted to it because of that cover.

Lydia is a girl who does not like change. She’s quite content with her home in Mulberry Glen where she feels secure. After hearing about a Darkness in a forest a couple days journey, 2 of her friends set out to discover what is actually going on and try to stop it from spreading. Lydia embarks there herself to stop them.

This is quite a journey for Lydia, she meets new people, had a few adventures of her own and learned more about this Darkness. There is some great metaphors here that are relevant today and easily seen.

Beyond Mulberry Glen is a coming-of-age story, it's about friendships both old and new. It's an adventure story that was fun with some great life lessons.

You can find Beyond Mulberry Glen on bookshelves Jan 7th.

My thanks to Waxwing Books for a digital arc in exchange for a honest review.

This book was a joy to read- I couldn't put it down! Millie uses beautiful language and vivid scenes and characters. I was really able to enter Lydia's world! I love the latin that is sprinkled throughout. I also love how the story parallels the gospel through the description of the darkness and the light. Thank you Millie for creating a delightful and lovely story. I'm excited for my children to read this as well!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

"Grow towards the light." This a fantastical, delightful tale of a girl's struggle to not let the darkness in the world around her overwhelm her spirit. A fantasy adventure with a message that is particularly apt for this generation. I enjoyed the journey with Lydia as she faces her fears and discovers kindred spirits along the way. The story has alot of heart and a warmth that shines through to the last chapter. I am looking forward to reading more by this author!

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