With illustrations as charming and eye-catching as this cover image and the obvious abundance of animals, I knew this story wouldn’t be anything other than an adorable time.

Mattie is desperate for a puppy of her own but her dad doesn’t think she’s responsible enough to take care of one. But when a new vet and animal rescue owner moves into the village, it becomes apparent that she needs help. Mattie and her friends soon realise that the rescue centre is becoming full and they hatch a fantastic plan to get as many of them rehomed as possible.

The illustrations are beautiful. They’re so simple and for some reason, I can imagine many young readers tracing them or copying them. They fit the simple, innocent story so well and I could picture the village perfectly through them.

The goat was probably my favourite character, as he had so much personality. I’ve honestly never considered goats to be so cheeky, amusing or chaotic but it definitely makes sense!

Naturally, there were so many cosy, small town vibes and I was wandering around a British version of Stars Hollow. I really enjoyed meeting all of the locals and getting glimpses of their personalities. Even the fact that Mattie had typically rural interests such as bird-watching added to the warm, inviting glow of the setting.

I think there was also a nostalgic element of it for me too. The scenes where Mattie and her friends were eating cakes and drinking lemonade in their treehouse had a touch of Enid Blyton to it and reminded me of The Faraway Tree series. I used to curl up in bed with those books when I was a young kid, so it was really lovely to experience that again.

The Appletree Animal Agency is the first in a new, fluffy, feel-good middle-grade series. I’m really intrigued to see Mattie grow up and see where her love for animals takes her. I’d highly recommend The Appletree Animal Agency for anyone who has ever wanted a pet but for whatever reason was never able to have one. Of course, you should also read it if you love a cute story of kindness, friendship and determination.

Perfect for young animal lovers, this sweet story is full of cosiness and charm and tells the story of Mattie, a girl who is desperate for a pet. As she and her friends become involved in an animal rescue, run by the new vet, they battle obstacles and ups and downs before setting up the animal agency.
I loved the simplicity and traditional, classic feel of this story. There was no real references to modern technology or the busyness of daily life. Instead, it was a story set in a sleepy village during the school holidays where the animals and characters could shine. Although not a new topic - there are lots of stories about children who want pets and who help animals - I really enjoyed the 'animal agency' element and the story evoked a gentle quietness, calmness and cosiness. Simply plotted but with some dramatic twists and an satisfying ending, the story has been set up to be a loveable series. This is a great introduction to chapter book reading and a lovely story for different generations to enjoy together.

In a Nutshell: A wonderful middle-grade animal adventure story. Amazing plot, diverse human characters, adorable animals, great life lessons, excellent illustrations. Much recommended!

Plot Preview:
Mattie’s dad loves his only daughter but doesn’t believe her capable of handling responsibility. As such, Mattie’s deepest desire of wanting her own puppy stays unfulfilled. As a relentless animal lover, she finds solace by helping the local vet and playing with her friends’ pets.
When there’s a new vet in town, Mattie and her best friend Zoe both volunteer to help Dr. Polly, who also happens to be an animal rescuer, and her son Casper navigate the chaos of handling so many rescue animals, and maybe even to find forever homes for them. But is Mattie responsible enough to handle such a big task?
The story comes to us in Mattie’s third-person perspective.

This isn't my first Katya Balen novel. I have read four of her books so far, and in each of them, there are some features you will find consistently: relatable child characters, realistic emotional struggles, amazing animals, and excellent nature descriptions. In fact, she is among the few children’s fiction writers who pays so much attention to natural imagery even when writing a character-driven book. I simply love the vividness of her writing. This book is no exception.

The content reminded me of the wonderful animal adventure stories by Enid Blyton I used to read in my childhood. This has the same old-world charm, partly because the story is set in a small village filled with loveable characters, many of whom seem to know each other. All the characters are endearing, and none are shown as perfect. They make mistakes, and they learn from their mistakes.

There are four children with prominent roles in the book: Mattie, Zoe, Casper, and Nate (not as main as the other three). Each of them has a distinct personality, and I love how the story shows them working together (mostly) in harmony and making the best of their individual strengths. The three main children get an equal role to play in the plot, even though we get the story from Mattie’s perspective. I appreciate this; children’s books where the lead character does everything alone don’t set a realistic standard nor the right example for kids.

There are plenty of important positive values in the book such as sharing, helping/volunteering, respecting your parents’ opinion, making the best of a disappointing situation, persevering towards your dreams, working as a team, and always giving your best even when you aren’t sure of the result. The book also highlights how mere good intentions aren’t enough without a concrete action plan. All important lessons for today’s children.

I would have liked a couple of background details added to the plot. For instance, knowing the age of the children. Little readers are free to assume that a middle-grade book will have middle-grade-aged children, but there is much difference in what a ten-year-old can do independently vis-à-vis what a fourteen-year-old can do.
(Also, a plot-related query I genuinely wanted answered – who was matched with the iguana???)

There is only one parent mentioned for each of the three main child characters. Mattie has her dad, while Zoe and Casper have their respective mums. I suppose this is a new normal in today’s world with so many single-parent families. But I wish there had been some mention of the other parent at least for Mattie. That said, I did appreciate the depiction of the parents. None of them bend over backwards for the children but present a good balance of friendly plus firm. At the same time, they aren’t shown as flawless adults. Mattie’s dad has a habit of repeatedly calling her too whimsical, which he doesn’t mean as an insult but it affects her self-confidence – a good lesson here for parents (and kids) here to stop labelling anyone negatively.

As the title and the cover indicate, there are many animals in this book, and not just the usual dogs and cats. Little animal lovers will enjoy the escapades of the creatures, especially the adventure with the ferret and the antics of the goat. Of the Katya Balen books I have read so far, this is the only one that has so many comical scenes. Her stories are usually more on the sombre and introspective side even though aimed at kids. I loved discovering this new aspect of her writing.

The book is peppered with gorgeous B&W illustrations on every page. All the sketches are rich in detail and elevate the reading experience even further.

This is the first of a planned animal adventure series, and based on this amazing initial experience, I would surely love to read every future book that the Appletree Animal Agency will be a part of.

Much recommended! This middle-grade story will be a delight for little and not-so-little animal lovers. It would work wonderfully in homes as well as classrooms, and also be a great gifting option.

4.5 stars, happy to round up.

My thanks to Walker Books for providing the DRC of “The Appletree Animal Agency” via NetGalley. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

This is a simple and sweet take that will be loved by any animal loving 6–9 year old. It captures an old fashioned sense of commmunity and to me, evoked a little of a Dick King-Smith vibe. A tale of friendship with some (extremely) mild peril this carries some nice little messages, not least of which is the responsibility of pet ownership.

My animal loving 9 year old loved this book. She is excited to read more from the author. She thought Mattie was an amazing main character and would like to read more about animals they rescue.

Mattie is a sparky young girl who knows what she wants and is good at executing her plans too! Her friends Zoe and Casper make excellent sidekicks and very good supporting characters.

They love animals, and have plans for the fete and the practice as well as how to get Mattie her dream pet. The animals were adorable, even things didn't go quite according to plan with the ferret, and Luna was my favourite. Mattie's eventual understanding with her father is moving.

Katya Balen is an amazing writer and one whose books I always look forward to! This story was no exception and will be a big hit with readers in the target age group (and beyond!)

The Appletree Animal Agency is the first book in a charming new series by Katya Balen & Gill Smith. Perfect for fans of Holly Webb, young animal lovers will be completely captivated by the joy of pet ownership and the passion of the characters to look after animals in need. I know the girls in my Brownie unit will love this story. We’re planning some animal-themed evenings soon and I’ll be sure to share it with them then.

Mattie Robins loves animals. It seems like everyone in her class has a pet but her. She pretends the animals she can see from her treehouse are her own. Quilla the hedgehog, Bertie the bat and Marmalade the fox make her so happy but what she really wants is a puppy. Mattie makes a wish on a shooting star and starts volunteering at Dr Joseph’s vet surgery to try to make her dreams come true. She and her friends join together to form a club with the aim of helping all the animals find a good home.

Katya Balen’s writing is so honest and full of feeling, completely embracing the reader. She creates heart-warming relationships between children and families that will encourage readers to be caring and respectful. There is something so lovely about children forming a club full of teamwork and a common purpose. Young readers will come away from this story inspired to make a difference in their world.

The Appletree Animal Agency is just the perfect book for children who love animals. This really spoke to child me, when I was a child I desperately wanted a dog. My dad bought me a cuddly toy dog and I had a leash and I literally dragged that dog around with me. Then my grandad bought me a dog for my birthday, that dog was genuinely my best friend and was there by my side regardless. So I absolutely empathised with Mattie.

There's chaos caused by the animals and the children, but is a complete joy reading about what they all get up to. I think the story is really inviting and encourages the reader to root for the main characters, while learning a bit about what pets really need from their owners.

I know child me would have absolutely adored this book and I think its a great choice for animla lover children in your life.

Review to come at the end of February on my blog/other places.

received this book from the publisher/Netgalley in exchange of an honest review.

🐶 Mattie was such a fun and cute character and I was rooting for her. I know the feeling of being judged for your madcap adventures, though for most of the book I just saw a girl who had big plans and executed them to almost perfect. The only one that didn't work out that well was the ferret, but even that one we learn is not entirely her fault. The old man should have warned them that this may happen. Mattie really has her heart in the right place and I love how she immediately went to help out the new vet and also tried to help out with the animals that needed to rehomed. She wanted to give them all a chance and there was no day that she was bored, she just kept going.
🐶 The various animals we meet were adorable! The hamsters of course my favourite, but followed by Luna the little dog that Mattie and her friends found, and the dream dog for Mattie.
🐶 Rooting so hard that Luna and Mattie would be together and that her dad would see that Mattie had some madcap ideas but that she was really trying. It was just so clear that these two had to be together, Mattie had endless wells of love and the dog wanted to be with her.
🐶 Reading about the small town that Mattie and her friends lived in + also read about fete and all that came with that! There were quite a few times that I wished I could just step inside the book and be part of this small town.
🐶 The plan that Mattie, Zoe, Casper made for the fete and for the vet practice! They really thought of everything and while there was a bit of drama because someone immediately got judgemental things went off without a problem after that. I loved seeing them work hard to get the plan to become real, and I absolutely loved seeing the day that everything came together. They really did an amazing job and I I hope that the town loves their new critters.
🐶 That moment at the end with the dad. OMG, I was crying so hard then. I won't spoiled anything, but I was just so happy.
🐶 The illustrations were so cute!
🐶 Zoe and Casper were fun characters.
🐶 I love that the vicar was a woman! This may sound odd, but most vicars/preachers I know are guys, generally older. So I am delighted that here it is a woman.
🐶 The ending made me smile and now I definitely want more books!
🐶 The kids having a tree house! And not just a small one but a pretty fun decent sized one! As a kid I always wanted a tree house, but sadly my parents' garden was too small for a tree. And even in my current home a full grown tree is just not going to work, there is not that much room + I am sure the neighbours are not going to be happy with a giant tree. XD

All in all, I had oodles of fun reading this one! A MC to root for, cute critters, lots of fun adventures, and more~

4.5 stars
One Liner: Can it get any more adorable? I think not!

Mattie Robins loves animals, birds, and all furry/ winged creatures. She wishes for a puppy on a shooting star hoping her dad would agree to get her one.
Lo and behold! She finds a pup that needs some help. When a new vet arrives in town with her son and a lot of rescue animals, Mattie and her bestie Zoe, volunteer to help. With so many animals that need rescuing, they need to find a way to rehome the cuties with responsible adults.
The story comes in Mattie’s third-person POV.

My Thoughts:
I enjoy the author’s stories and knew I had to read this the moment I saw the book. While I’m not an animal lover like these kiddos, I do love animals from a distance and want them to be safe, healthy, and happy.
The book starts with Mattie in her treehouse which is a proper home with a functioning kitchen! Of course, she lives with her dad in a normal brick home but this place is her haven.
As the story progresses, we meet more people and many, many animals! From rats to ferrets to tortoises and several kittens, you can pick the one you want. I have to mention Liquorice the jackdaw and his penchant for stealing shiny things.
There are four kids in the book. Mattie and Zoe are best friends with opposite traits. Mattie is a whirlwind and Zoe is a proper planner. That girl and her color-coded charts; I love organized kids! Casper is fun and responsible, and soon becomes a part of the group. Though their ages are not mentioned, they are illustrated, so I put them around 8-10.
Naturally, kids do fight and have arguments. But they apologize and accept their faults, which I 100% approve. The same goes for adults who realize their mistakes and apologize to kids or make amendments.
Since this is middle-grade, all adults in the book love animals even when the little ones are being unruly monsters. Not realistic but well, we need an example of how one can react in similar situations. I’ll take it.
As you can guess, the book ends on a happy note with a promise that there will be more adventures to follow. After all, animals need rescuing and loving homes.
The font is neat and aptly sized. There are several black & white illustrations throughout the book. These are either pencil sketches or a blend of pencil and charcoal. The rough lines and shading work perfectly to enhance the vibe and make the story even more endearing. The artwork aligns with the content on the pages. We see the kids and some adults with the animals again taking the spotlight. I love those little posters and forms. So cute!

To summarize, The Appletree Animal Agency is a beautiful, adorable, and lovely book about kids, animals, and responsible adults. I’d be delighted to read more books in the series.
Thank you, NetGalley, and Walker Books, for eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I love all of the author's books. She is such a versatile writer that can write beautifully for children from different age groups. This is a story about a group of children trying to help rescued animals. It has such a magical start that it just hooks me right from the beginning.