A fascinating children's story that is well written and leaves you wanting more.

Owl's Outstanding Donuts finds Mattie going to live with her aunt after her mother's death. Overall, the characters are fun, and the storyline is one that will definitely delight children.

This is a great mystery for kids 10 and up. Maddie loses her mom to a hit and run. She moves in with her aunt who she's already spent time with so it's not a huge adjustment since she has friends in the area. Alfred, the owl, taps on her bedroom window and alerts her to some shenanigan's. Maddie gets her friends to help her solve the mystery of who is dumping in the river. Great story for kids with an emphasis on conservation.

Disclaimer: I received an arc of this book in exchange of an honest review.


I'm actually really glad I took a break from heavy stuff to read this. It was so cute and a much needed change of pace.

I want to start by saying that this wasn't a mindless quick read - I don't want to seem demeaning with my first statement. This book had a solid plot with fun characters and managed to hold attention. I was never bored! I loved the donut descriptions too but I especially liked the setting and our main character, Mattie, whose headstrong and dealing with the loss of her mother.

I could see this as a book a parent and child could read and enoy together easily. Very charming little story.

This was such an adorable book about friendship, saving the earth, and doing what’s right, with a fun dash of donuts and owls thrown in. Mattie lives with her aunt in Big Sur, California, where they run a donut shop. But when Mattie catches people dumping chemicals near the shop, it looks like her aunt’s donut place might be shut down for good. Mattie must work with her best friends and a sentient owl, Alfie, to find out who did the dumping and how to catch them.
Each chapter included a picture and description of a donut that was sold in the shop, which was a super cute addition. There were some great lessons for kids about kindness and pollution awareness. It effectively mixes magical realism with everyday life, and it was truly sweet tale for middle grade readers!

Robin Yardi has created an adorable, yet mysterious book that will appeal to both boys and girls in the 8ish range. The author's love of animals shows through and makes it especially appealing. The story is told in a very organized way, and suspense builds to keep kids on the edge of their seats. Good children's books are hard to find, and it is hopeful that Yardi will keep writing. Her excellence in storytelling will inspire kids to keep reading and learning.

I didn’t know this would be a middle grade title. I was drawn to the title and cover, and the story would be great for the younger ages. However, it was simply too juvenile for me to finish.

Kids 5th grade up who enjoy a good mystery story will love this book! Mattie has a rough start to summer, She loses her mom to a hit and run driver, goes to live with her aunt in a new town, so much to deal with. But someones dumping stuff in the river, which, of course, draws Mattie into the mystery of who's dumping what. New friendships develop over the course of solving the mystery . And I love that an owl starts the whole story! Can't go wrong with an owl and a donut shop. Fun story!

After her mother's death, Mattie goes to live with her aunt, who owns a donut shop in Big Sur, California. Mattie has spent summers with her aunt before, so she has friends nearby and the situation isn't entirely foreign to her. It is unusual, though, for an owl to wake her up at night by tapping on her bedroom window, and to bring some suspicious activity to her attention. Mattie persuades her friends to help her – and Alfred (the owl) – figure out what is going on. In turn they help her come to terms with fears that have plagued her since her mother's death.

I have never read anything by this author before, and I'll admit that the cover is what first caught my eye. Having spent years working in the children's section of my local public library, I'm always on the lookout for unique but fun books to suggest to the library's younger patrons, and this book will certainly be added to my mental list of books to recommend. I enjoyed the setting, and the characters would appeal to most of the younger readers I know. The mystery, while relatively obvious to the adult reader, is a good one and the issue at the heart of it is timely and relevant. I look forward to reading more of this author's work.

While still a mystery, this book is aimed a bit younger than me. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the story of Mattie, her friends, and Alfred the owl, hunting down the culprits who were dumping "gloop" into the nearby creek. I thought the writing style and level of detail were appropriate and could even see this book being chapter-read to someone younger. All this and it still kept my interest, made me crave donuts, and be surprised at who the bad guys were. While I would have preferred that Mattie and her friends had not made some of their more dangerous choices, I don't feel like they did anything that would spur a young reader to endanger themselves. It is just the worried mom in me! Are there more ecological mysteries for Mattie and Alfred to solve? I hope so!

The was a fun and adventurous middle grade novel. The characters are well developed and show a large amount of growth over the course of the book.

A fun, sweet read for middle grade fans of mystery, friendship, and animal stories. The delectable doughnut descriptions at the beginning of each chapter were a LITTLE cruel for this gluten-free reader to endure, but I had fun reading anyway! Will definitely recommend this at my library.

Thanks to the folks at NetGalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in return for an honest review. First of all I loved the cover of the book and I find this a really cute middle-grade read. The plot is pretty simple, a young girl lives with her Aunt who has a donut shop in Big Sur, California. Someone has been pouring "gloop" across the street from the shop. Alfred the Owl comes to alert our young heroine, Mattie of the problem. From there we have a mystery as to who is dumping this in the middle of the night and how can Mattie and her 2 friends solve and prove the mystery. I really enjoyed the book - a nice break after a lot of heavy non-fiction books I read. Every chapter begins with a drawing of a different donut and an explanation of the donut. A little too veggie friendly in that nobody even mentions non-veggie food until the last page, but that is no big deal. A big thumbs up for this book, and definitely a book that middle-graders should enjoy.

*Book received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

After Mattie Waters loses her mother, she goes to live with her aunt, the owner of a roadside donut shop in Big Sur, California. When an owl taps on Mattie's window one night, Mattie looks out to see something suspicious taking place nearby. With help from her friends--and from Alfred, a stuffy but good-hearted owl--she'll set out to find the culprits, facing fears that have followed her since her mother's death.

This was a fun middle-grade mystery!

I received an Advanced Reviewer Copy of Owl's Outstanding Donuts by Robin Yardi from the publisher Lerner Publisher Group through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What It’s About: Matty is a young girl who recently lost her mother and is living with her aunt, a donut shop owner. Her summer changes overnight when an owl lets her know that someone is polluting the well water.

What I Loved: This story is just so cute, it is a great book to get kids into reading and teach about pollution, it also approaches grief in an interesting way and I really liked that. Plus, you'll want to eat donuts.

What I didn’t like so much: Sometimes the characters were a bit too bratty for me but this is sometimes what happens with kid lit.

Who Should Read It: People looking for a fun chapter book to share with a young reader. People who want environmental elements in their mysteries. People who like children chapter books.

General Summary: A story for elementary/middle schools kids with an environmental mystery at the center

Trouble is brewing in the little town of Big Sur, and not just the coffee-and-donuts kind. No one wants to believe that Mattie was visited by a great-horned owl at her bedroom window, alerting her to a mysterious truck dumping dubious gloop outside her aunt's donut shop. With the help of her friends (and an owl named Alfred) she's determined to find out who's behind the environmental crime-- while also trying to overcome her fear of riding in vehicles, developed after her mother's passing. An exciting, fun jaunt of a mystery.

Mattie Waters just lost her mother and is shuttled off to live with her Aunt Molly in Big Sur, California. Mattie's aunt runs a roadside coffee and doughnut shop. Every night Aunt Molly throws out the day old doughnuts in the dumpster, and Alfred, the local owl digs through the goods. One night while eating a pink doughnut, Alfred witnesses a crime and needs help solving it. So lightly tapping on Mattie's window he gets her attention and leads her to the scene. Nobody believes what Mattie has seen, neither the crime nor the owl, however, with a little help from her friends, and Alfred, they solve the mystery.


This was a cute young adult novel. I was in the mood to read something a little less serious and I do love doughnuts... I like the uniqueness of it, if I was in middle school I would have scooped this up. I like the mystery of it, and the way the owl helps solves these girl's mysteries. I would definitely read another book by this author and would say it's a great read for kids!

Mattie's living in Big Sur with her aunt, who runs a wonderful donut shop. Mattie is mourning the death of her mother, and apprehensive about starting school in a new place, plus using the bus by herself to get there and back.

Alfred is an owl who witnesses people dumping "gloop" into the river. He decides to do something about it by tapping on Mattie's window, and encouraging her and her new friends to solve the mystery of who these polluters are.

I liked Mattie's relationship with her aunt, and her friends. They felt like real people, and Mattie's struggles to adjust to life in Big Sur also felt like something a lot of kids could relate to. The mystery of the gloopers was interesting and involving as well, with real consequences for both Mattie and her aunt.

What I wasn't quite sure about was Alfred. His chapters took me out of the book a bit, and I couldn't suspend my disbelief when he and Mattie communicate by head nods, shakes, and feather movement. I'm all for magic realism, but it didn't work for me here.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

I honestly thought this was a Children's picture book when I originally requested it. I didn't realize it was a Middle-Grade novel. I don't really enjoy much MG currently so I won't be fully reviewing Owl's Outstanding Donuts. I appreciate Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request. 📚🍩💕

I wish book in the Children's category were more clearly labeled as to what they contain.

Mattie has moved to Big Sur to live with her aunt following the death of her mother. Her aunt runs a small doughnut shop, and the two live in a trailer behind the shop. It's been a difficult transition, but Mattie has made two friends, Sasha and her younger sister, Beanie, whose family run a small campground and general store. A short while before school is to start, an owl taps of Mattie's window in the middle of the night. Going outside to investigate, Mattie sees two figures with a white van dumping something into a river. She lets her friends know, and they start an investigation. When Mattie points out that Sasha's father's van is very similar, Beanie enthusiastically puts him on the lists of subjects, but Sasha is angry and won't talk to Mattie. When the owl drops some sludge right in front of Mattie, she searches and finds more of the "gloop", and knows something is very wrong. With Sasha angry at her, Mattie tries to get more help from the owl to figure out what is going on.

Strengths: I am a big fan of stories that involve environmental issues, and the Big Sur setting adds a lot of color to this one. Any book involving doughnut, pie, or ice cream shops is good as well. The friend drama between Mattie and Sasha is very realistic. It's nice to see that Mattie has the support of a beloved aunt when dealing with the death of her mother. The investigation of the dumping moves the story along quickly, although I have to say that my favorite part was the description of the doughnuts at the beginning of each chapter!
Weaknesses: I wasn't thrilled with the chapters narrated by Alfred, the owl, but when Mattie climbs up to his nest and communicates with him by asking questions and having him blink, this really made it seem less realistic. I think younger children might enjoy this more.
What I really think: There were a lot of things I liked about this one, but I don't think my students want this sort of mystery. They are quite a bloodthirsty lot, and want more murder mysteries!

Initial Reaction: Loved it, exactly what I wanted.

Owls Outstanding Donuts by Robin Yardi is about a young soon to be fifth grader named Mattie who is doing her best to cope with the death of her mother, but then one night an owl taps on her window. Mattie then finds herself straying away from the normal last days of summer celebrations to solve the mystery that her new owl friend dropped into her lap. So far all she knows is that there is a white truck that's dumping "gloop" into the river of Big Sur. This is her new home, and Aunt Molly's place of business; she doesn't want some gloopers to contaminate the water and ruin her families business. With the help of her friends: Sasha and Beanie, Mattie is determined to find out who these flippers are and put a stop to them. It's a fun and heartfelt mystery that can be enjoyed at any age!

I was looking for a quick mystery to break my pattern of reading fantasy and contemporary, and I'm happy I came across Owls Outstanding Donuts. I was first attracted to it because of the owl on the cover they're just amazing creatures and one of my favourite animals; apparently if you want me to read a book just put an owl on the cover. Then I saw that this was a middle grade book, I've been wanting to look into that age group because honestly their books can be a lot of fun ( Percy Jackson for instance) and I also want to get ahead start on a reading list filled with Middle Grade suggestions for Melody. I want to be ready! I know she'll find her own thing but just in case she wants a suggestion 😜

So what did I like about this book?
It was your classic Scooby Doo mystery. It featured a fun loving group of accidental detectives: Mattie, Sasha and Beanie.

" When the visitor signed the paper and handed it back, Mr. Little ripped off the top sheet and passed it to Sasha, who added it to her clipboard. Then he gave another little pink parking pass to Mattie and a high five to Beanie just because she was so cute.”
-Yardi

Mattie and Sasha are both going into the 5th grade while Beanie is going into the 2nd.

Mattie is an only child who is now living with her Aunt Molly, who owns Owls Outstanding Donuts shop. Her mother just passed away after a hit and run on the highway. Now Mattie is grieving for her mother, and has developed a fear of cars and the highway. Despite these circumstances Mattie is brave and with the help from her friends she grows stronger with ever page!


Sasha is the older sister to Beanie and now as an older sister myself I can understand where all of Sasha's sass comes from. Sasha has a need to be in control because she doesn't want to get into trouble or endanger her sister. As the eldest you have an unspoken duty to take care of your siblings, which is why-i think- Sasha is so resistant to believing Mattie when she tells them about the Owl mystery. She wants to be a good friend as well as a good big sister. Sasha is also the devil's advocate as she makes Mattie really think about what she's claiming: an owl came to her window to tell her about a truck that's dump mysterious gloop and now the owl is giving her clues to help find out who's behind it, really? If they were to try and get the police involved they would need to present a believable case.

Beanie is the adorable little sister who thinks the mystery is a game but she's happy to help in anyway she can. I loved her as she was truly the bridge between the girls and the comic relief at times.

" Beanie huffed up the back stairs and charged into the kitchen. Somehow she got two boxes of cereal, a carton of milk, and three bowls and spoons to fit within her tiny arms. She was like an octopus. "
-Yardi

Now I can't forget Alfred, he's the Scooby Doo to Matties gang! He's the Owl that sets everything in motion and I really enjoyed how the author personified the animal. He didn't talk, but he did communicate with Mattie. Also the times that he was present were filled with some of the greatest description. Yardi is subtle as she introduces the owl and it's eivdent how much thought she put into his scenes. She considered his eyes, wings and beak etc to create a vivid picture of a golden eyes owl that could easily be picked up by the young and old. This was what really drew me in because she didn't just tell me there was an owl up in a tree she painted the scene for me word for word!

Aside from the characters I enjoyed the themes that were presented along with the mystery. Dealing with the loss of a loved one is not easy. I appreciated how the author didn't just use it as a trope, but sincerely used it to develop her main character. Yardi took her time and wrote what was going through Matties mind as she works toward being okay. By the end of the book she is okay, not great, but she's okay. Sometimes that all that matters. I honestly teared up when Matrie reflected about her mother. This might be a topic you don't want your child to read about just yet, but I thought it was presented throughout the story in a smart and sweet manner.


So I've gushed a lot about this book and it's characters, it really is no easy feat to get me rambling. However I did feel that the ending might've been rushed, I liked it and thought it was great just wish the details weren't rushed. We discover who the culprits are, but it wasn't as satisfying as I would've hoped.

As a whole Owls Outstanding Donuts was a 4.5 on the Princess Scale. I really loved how heartfelt and funny, while at the same time it was a serious puzzle; I sincerely didn't know who the culprits were until the very end!

Thank you to Net Galley and Lerner Publishing for the opportunity to read this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.