This is a really sweet and funny story. Our main character reminded me of Pippi Longstocking in the best way. This is a perfect cozy read for middle grade students. Heartwarming, and written with such a wonderful tone.

Thank you to NetGallley for providing me with a free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The main character has a big personality just like Pippi Longstocking. Astrid has a big personality. This book is about friendship, and the changes it makes as it grows. Astrid is likeable and wild and fun. It was a very enjoyable read and had some surprises as well. I definitely recommend to early middle grade readers.

Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr is a wonderful story about a girl with a big personality. This story definitely drew a reminder to Pippi Longstockings for me because of her big and bold personality. The reader also gets a look at some interesting characters in her life such as her best friend, Gunnvald, who is very much her senior! She would love to have other children to befriend but there are no other children in her village. When change comes to the village, she thinks she can plan how to keep things straight but sometimes change can be good. I think younger kids will enjoy the characters and reading this story. This would be a great read aloud as it would be easy to bring the characters to life and open up discussions about being alone, having/not having siblings, change, friendship, and so many more topics! I recommend reading this enjoyable story!

I received an advance copy of this book from Net Galley in an exchange for an honest review.

Astrid The Unstoppable was written by Maria Parr, and is considered a middle grade fiction book.  The book follows a precocious nine year old girl by the name of Astrid, who really does believe she can do anything, and so she does it-with varying degrees of success.  
She lives in the tiny mountain village of Glimmerdal, and spends much of her free time creating un-intended mischief, hatching plans with her best friend and godfather Gunnvald, and causing problems for the grumpy resort owner down the road. 
Astrid lives life to the fullest-non-stop, all the time-but when a secret is revealed that challenges things she has believed to be true her entire life, will she have the strength of character to face the way things really are, and find a new way to be unstoppable?
My Thoughts:  I really enjoyed this book.  The portrayal of small town life in Glimmerdal-with its quirky characters and beautiful scenery-are brought to life through the eyes of Astrid, and make this book a truly enjoyable read. 
The book felt to me like a cross between Heidi and Pippi Longstocking.  Being fans of both of those books, this one was right up my alley, and if you enjoyed those books as well, this book is for you.
I highly recommend this book-for kids and adults alike.  It is charming, well-written, interesting, and heart-warming.  And, it passes my true test-I am looking forward to reading it again.  Pick this one up-it is definitely worth the read.
I would like to thank Candlewick Press for providing me with a free copy of this book for my unbiased review.  And, I would like to mention, that as I am reviewing this book prior to its release, it will be available beginning November 13, 2018.  Go get it!

Not personally my tastes and something that I could not seem to get into. I suggest condensing the narrative a bit.

This book goes right alongside other "plucky heroine" novels. Astrid is delightfully stubborn, loud, and kind. Her best friend, her closest and oldest neighbor, is the quintessential gruff old man with a soft heart.
The characters are fun and full of heart; where this book might lose younger readers is in its slower plot. However, fans of Heidi, Anne Shirley, and Pippi Longstocking will find plenty to enjoy here.

Astrid is a very likeable character who will appeal to many young readers.. Her adventures will amuse readers as they applaud her spirit.

Astrid is an enthusiastic force of nature within her village in Norway. She lives life to the fullest and makes life interesting for all those around her! Astrid the Unstoppable is an entertaining elementary or middle grade read. Each chapter is a new adventure in her life. You'll meet her best friend Gunnvald, her parents (mom spends most of her time doing research in Iceland), and Mr. Hagen, host of a spa who decidedly does NOT like children. There's even a bit of mystery as Astrid finds out that even best friends have secrets.

As Astrid navigates her 9th year, she has friends and family by her side, catching her when she falls (a frequent occurance), drying her tears when life gets crazy and unpredictable, and loving every ounce of her quirky, charming self. Readers will delight in this new young heroine who bears resemblance to classic characters like Pippi Longstocking and Heidi.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Astrid the Unstoppable from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

Like a beautifully crafted fairy tale, Astrid the Unstoppable by Maria Parr will transport you to a hidden mountain town where anything can happen! 9-year-old Astrid is a spirited child that lives on the snowy hills of Glimmerdal. In fact, Astrid is the only child that lives in Glimmerdal. Her best friend is her 70-something year old godfather, Gunnvald, and Astrid wouldn’t have it any other way. Told in 3rd person, we follow Astrid as she drives the owner of Hagen’s Wellness Retreat crazy, befriends some kids vacationing in Glimmerdal, and discovers a huge secret about Gunnvald; a secret that could damage their friendship forever. Quoted as a cross between Pippi Longstocking and Heidi, middle grade readers will love adventuring with Astrid!

The best part of this book is the friendship that Astrid has with old Gunnvald. They are both fiery and stubborn, but love each other like family. Like true best friends, they indulge in each other’s crazy ideas and comfort each other in times of need.

I would recommend this book to kids ages 7 – 12 or 2rd graders with a high reading level (because of some difficult Norwegian names & words) up to 6th graders. I would also recommend this book to parents to read aloud to their children of any age! It is such an enjoyable book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for this E-ARC

Fans of Pippi Longstocking are going to love this story. I wasn't a fan, but liked the idea. Not a bad story, overall, rambunctious little girl getting up to all sorts of things, but with no kids her age. Lovely story of family and friendship in a tiny town. I think the author is one to watch as she has written an intelligent and wonderful story! I think is children like this one, Pippi may find new fans as well!

ARC Copy...I very much akin the narrative to Pipi Longstocking crossed with Heidi as it involved a very much unstoppable red head girl who cares for who love ones, is a fireball of energy and set in a snowy mountain community which is bonded together.

This was a fun book to read about a girl with a BIG personality. I thought that the author did a great job creating a character who grew throughout the plot of the story - Astrid assumes that everything will always be the way it is, and she is happy with that. However, changes are coming to her village and some of them are ones that maybe she can't fix the way she thinks they should be fixed.

Young readers will find Astrid to be someone that they can relate to - much like other children her age, she is faced with challenges around what she thought she knew and what the bigger picture actually is. Those that she looks up to might not be as perfect as she thought and sometimes changes can be a really good thing. This book looks at friendships, how they change and grow, and at the center of it all is a vivacious, likable character just trying to find her place as things change around her. I found this book to be a fun, enjoyable read that had several unexpected twists and turns - and an enjoyable conclusion.

“Astrid the Unstoppable” by Maria Parr is a delightful tale about “the little thunderbolt” Astrid, who loves to speed down hillsides on her sled, sing as loudly as possible, and visit her septuagenarian godfather, who makes her hot chocolate from real chocolate bars. Described as Pippi Longstocking meets Heidi meets Anne Shirley, Astrid is a character you will fall in love with as you follow the exploits of this spirited Norwegian mountain girl who navigates village life and unexpected change with charm and warmth. Highly recommended!

This is the author’s second novel, which won the prestigious Brage Prize for best children's book and the Norwegian Critics' Prize. It has been sold to 19 countries and made into a theatrical production. The author lives in Norway.

Pub Date 13 Nov 2018

Thanks to Candlewick Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are fully mine.

#AstridTheUnstoppable #NetGalley

"The Little Thunderbolt", as she's nicknamed, Astrid is a 9-year-old girl who lives in the town of Glimmerdal, Norway, with her farmer father and her marine scientist mother, who's often away on research adventures. She spends most of her days with her best friend, Gunnvald, who also happens to be her 70-something year-old godfather; she also spends quite a bit of time aggravating the mean old Mr. Hagen, who runs a resort - ADULTS ONLY! - nearby, but Astrid can't be bothered to be upset when he yells at her: she's got too much living to do! She's a fun, spunky, free spirit, until Gunnvald has a terrible fall that lands him in the hospital. Secrets are revealed that send Astrid into a tizzy, but not for long: she relies on her new friends to help her set things right.

Astrid the Unstoppable is like the books I read when I was a kid. Classics like Heidi (a book which also plays a part in Astrid), Pippi Longstocking, and Caddie Woodlawn, all seem to have inspired Maria Parr and her beloved Astrid. She's smart, yet not afraid to be vulnerable; she's got a wonderfully upbeat personality and view of the world, and she's not afraid to speak her mind, whether it's to another child, or an adult who's behaving badly. She's got great relationships with most of the adults in the book, and even the ones she doesn't see eye-to-eye with can't stay too mad at her. She's got an infectious personality, in all the best ways.

Astrid the Unstoppable is kidlit done right, and Astrid herself will be a character kids will be reading about in school and on reading lists for years to come. Make sure to add this one to your to-buy lists, and talk up our classic female characters, too: don't let anyone be left out! Perfect for your more sensitive readers. The book has been translated into 19 languages and adapted for the stage (so why not look into some reader's theatre with your copies?)