5 stars! Absolutely amazing. I'm a huge Seanan McGuire fan so it is not surprise that I loved this book!

Very colourful and fun. Was slightly more on the younger side than I was expecting but still very enjoyable.
The wizard oz meets Alice and wonderland

Over the Woodward Wall is enchanting and delightfully whimsical, combining vivid imagery with the kind of logic that’s reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland or the words of L. Frank Baum. It’s the kind of book that’s perfect for a lazy Saturday when there isn’t much to do and you wish to be on an adventure.

I was most impressed with the writing style and its mastery of the absurdist tone that’s necessary for these kinds of books. It can be difficult to keep readers engaged in the kind of nonsensical logic that’s both frustrating and delightful, but the author does so perfectly. It’s clear that McGuire can master any type of writing, be it fairy tale or epic fantasy or cryptid tales that keep you engaged long after you’ve finished reading. The novella feels less like laying the words on a page and more like weaving a story from various yarns that might not make sense on their own. Beyond the whimsy is an introspective message that encourages us to go beyond the planned and work-a-day happenings of our boring world to think outside the box. You’ll find myriad quotes to inspire you on this mission to avoid sameness – I found myself obsessively highlighting for my quote book.

From the first moment the protagonists jump over the wall, the world they find themselves in becomes anything but ordinary. I loved every part of the worldbuilding. The settings are masterful in their deception, presenting themselves as ordinary places on the surface before revealing themselves to be otherworldly. The many mysteries are blindly accepted by the protagonists as only children could do, adding another element of absurdity that’s pure fun. The characters they meet along the way are delightfully obscure, each one with an important lesson to impart and another piece of the puzzle that is getting back home. The further you read, the more you realize that home couldn’t be more boring than the adventure playing out across the pages.

To conclude, Over the Woodward Wall is the perfect mix of fairy tale and fantasy. With larger-than-life characters, beautifully rendered settings, and a journey reminiscent of timeless classics, it’s hard not to become engrossed in this story of two unlikely companions learning how to view the world in a different light.

Apparently Over the Woodward Wall is a story-within-a-story from one of Seanan McGuire’s novels, and she fleshed it out into a full length novella? I didn’t know that when I requested it, just thought it looked like an interesting story. I’ve now read two of McGuire’s short works - the other being a story in The Book of Dragons - and loved both. Obviously she’s getting added to Mount Readmore. Any suggestions on where I should begin with her?

So for those of you (like me) who haven’t read Middlegame, it apparently refers to a story by an A. Deborah Baker called Over the Woodward Wall, presumably in a way not unlike the Fillory books in Lev Grossman’s Magicians trilogy. It’s a story in the long literary tradition of kids-ending-up-somewhere-strange-and-wonderful, whether they get there by going through a looking glass, falling down a rabbit hole, being swept up in a tornado, or out the back of a wardrobe. The kids in this case live on the same street, but have managed to never meet each other. They go to different schools, and in any case each family is the type of people the other family doesn’t associate with. Hepzibah (Zib) has wild hair, scabby knees, patched clothes, and a pocket full of acorns. Her parents are a bus driver and an artist, and though their house is full of warmth and love, her parents are very busy working hard to make never-enough money. Avery has starched shirts, shiny shoes, and carries a metal ruler he won in a spelling bee (why a ruler is the prize for a spelling bee is uncertain). His parents are a banker and a classically trained pianist, and though he is well-provided for and loved, the love is of a somewhat distant kind with lots of shoulder-patting.

Our story begins with both Zib and Avery having to take a detour on the way to their respective schools, and each finding the way blocked by a moss-covered stone wall that seems out of place in their quiet, safe suburban street. Zib is delighted by this, because it means an adventure. Avery is annoyed, because there’s not supposed to be a wall blocking his way, he’s supposed to be at school, and things should be what they are supposed to be. Both decide to climb the wall, and find themselves in a forest standing next to each other (remember, they’ve never met) with a large blue owl giving them a gentle scolding for being noisy when she wants to sleep, it’s really rather inconsiderate of them after all. There is no sign of the wall, or their quiet suburban street, or either of their schools.

Zib copes with this rather better than Avery.

This is a delightful story, and clearly doesn’t need any knowledge of Middlegame to enjoy. It’s told in that kind of old-man-telling-a-fairy-tale tone I associate with The Hobbit and the voice-overs from the Stardust movie. It’s certainly a children’s tale: I think it would be a great thing to give to a kid who is just starting to discover Narnia and Prydain. It does on a cliffhanger, be forewarned. Not in a “Mr. Worf - fire” kind of way, where it stops in the middle of a dramatic moment, but in a “this is clearly half of a story” kind of way. There’s no satisfying conclusion - hopefully McGuire is planning to write more. I’ll be really annoyed with her if she doesn’t.

Thanks to Tor and NetGalley for the ARC. Also - [holy crap this cover is absolutely beautiful.](https://i.imgur.com/VuujQWI.jpeg)

Over the Woodward Wall is a short, whimsical, and non-sensical story in the style of The Wizard of Oz. While it is marketed as adult - probably because of its tie-in to Middlegame - this is a book that might best appeal to middle grade audiences and would make a wonderful read aloud story for parents to share with elementary aged children.

The writing/story reminds me a lot of A Wrinkle in Time.
It is very whimsical in nature and is the beginning of quite an adventure.
It wasn't my favorite type of story but I don't really think this book was meant for me. I think the intended audience will love it.
The characters are recognizable and interesting. The setting is vast and intriguing while holding little pockets of danger to keep the readers aware of possible peril. The characters we meet in this other world are the strongest part of this book, in my opinion.

What would happen if two children that live on the same street but never met once before and everything in their lives is planned out in their extremely safe town, finally meet when an ancient wall appears out of nowhere and traps them on the other side?

Zib and Avery are peculiar kids who find themselves inside an adventure fitted for every child's imagination, with reminiscences for both The wizard of Oz and A series of unfortunate events, with an eerie atmosphere and a rather confusing story suitable for fans of Alice in Wonderland.
This meta novella serves as a companion book for Middlegame by Seanan McGuire as Over the woodward wall is featured there (but you don't have to read that book first in order to enjoy this one) and its audience is quite undetermined because you don't know for sure if it's for children or adults due to its conclusion, social critiques and overall tone.. What I can say for sure is that's quite an enjoyable reading and you will sure find yourself glued to its pages.

Over the Woodward Wall is a glorious portal fantasy about old walls & forests; Bumble Bears & Crow Girls; sarcastic owls & skeleton keys; and an impossible city. Writing as A. Deborah Baker, Seanan McGuire has given readers a look at the book mentioned within the pages of Middlegame, one of my favorite books read of 2019. I’m a sucker for the book within a book theme & to have someone as brilliant as McGuire weaving her magic with the trope throughout this companion piece was *chef’s kiss*

Although Over the Woodward Wall is the basis of many excerpts featured throughout Middlegame, it isn’t necessary to have read it first. Just make sure you *do* read it, because sweet damn!

“Everything was ordinary, and nothing was ordinary at all.”

Over the Woodward Wall follows two kids, neither aware that the other exists, even though they live in the same ordinary town. Not only do they live in the same ordinary town, but they live on the same ordinary street. They attend separate schools in opposite directions, so the fact that their paths have not crossed previously isn’t that unheard of. Especially when you consider that everything has been decided for children in this ordinary town that is extraordinarly safe. That is, until an old wall seemingly comes out of nowhere.
But that can’t be, can it?

Allow Zib & Avery to guide you through this delightfully peculiar rendition of a fairy tale. Seanan McGuire has created a meta fantasy that stylistically resembles a collision between The Wizard of Oz & A Series of Unfortunate Events. It’s enchanting, atmospheric & brimming with magic!

Whatever name she chooses to write under, the reader is in for a treat!

Cover of Over the Woodward WallOver the Woodward Wall by A. Deborah Baker is the book featured/quoted in Middlegame by Seanan McGuire, written by McGuire so that she could more easily refer to it. You absolutely do not have to have read Middlegame to read this book and, if anything, reading Over the Woodward Wall might add to your experience of reading Middlegame (but I did read them in the other order). Also, completely unlike Middlegame, Over the Woodward Wall is a children's/middle grade/pre-YA book, where as Middlegame is an adult book.

Avery is an exceptional child. Everything he does is precise, from the way he washes his face in the morning, to the way he completes his homework – without complaint, without fuss, without prompt.

Zib is also an exceptional child, because all children are, in their own way. But where everything Avery does and is can be measured, nothing Zib does can possibly be predicted, except for the fact that she can always be relied upon to be unpredictable.

They live on the same street.
They live in different worlds.

On an unplanned detour from home to school one morning, Avery and Zib find themselves climbing over a stone wall into the Up and Under – an impossible land filled with mystery, adventure and the strangest creatures.

And they must find themselves and each other if they are to also find their way out and back to their own lives.

This book is definitely not similar to Middlegame, it merely exists in the universe of that book. I cannot stress this enough. If you are looking for a similar companion novel to Middlegame, then you will be disappointed. If you are looking for a portal fantasy book featuring children from a non-specified time period finding themselves in a slightly nonsensical magical world, then this is the book for you.

I liked Over the Woodward Wall. There were a lot of interesting side characters, who added to the story. There were also some creepy villain characters that the children had to contend with. There were a variety of small lessons for children to learn over the course of their adventure, which were not heavy-handed. One thing that I was not expecting is that this ended as the start of a series. This might have been mentioned in Middlegame, but for whatever reason I had been expecting a standalone story, so that's something to keep in mind if you prefer tidy endings.

Overall, this was an interesting portal fantasy for children, especially if you hold it up against the ideas explored in Every Heart a Doorway. Over the Woodward Wall is absolutely not set in the same multiverse, and has its own unique voice more suited to the kind of book it is trying to be — one that is not juxtaposed against other ideas of portal fantasy. (That said, it put me in mind of The Wizard of Oz, but that's mainly because both are portal fantasies with a road for the protagonists to follow.) I recommend this book to readers, both old and young, who find appealing the idea of two very different children thrust into a magical world together.

4 / 5 stars

First published: October 2020, Tor.com
Series: Apparently this might be a book 1 of a continuing series (based on Goodreads)
Format read: eARC
Source: Publisher via NetGalley

Did anyone expect this to be anything less than perfect?! I surely did not and was not disappointed in the least. A magical yet mysterious book that will entice fans and readers new to Seanan McGuire’s writing. I am so excited that the story we got glimpses of in Middlegame is becoming real and I can’t wait for more installments in this series.

Thank you so much to Tor for sending me an eARC copy of this absolute gem!

Y’all, A Deborah Baker is yet another pen name for Seanan McGuire and I will literally read anything this author writes… so here I am reading young adult fantasy and loving it.

This is very much an Alice and Wonderland type story featuring two wonderfully bright and perfectly flawed children thrown into a new world together by accident. Avery and Zib couldn’t be more different if they tried, but it will take all of those differences to make it out of the Up and Under alive and well and most importantly, together.

As with any Seanan McGuire adventure, there is a fantastical world filled with extraordinary characters doing curious, whimsical things. The best sort of adventure really. This is very age-appropriate for middle school children, but can also be enjoyed by older readers as well. If you love this author’s Wayward Children novels, then this is right up your alley. The ending gives me hope that there will be more stories in this world.

Final grade- B+

This was a wonderfully whimsical companion novella to Middlegame and I loved every weird twist and turn of it! It tells the story of Avery and Zib, two children who clamber over a wall to the world of the Up and Over and must undertake a mission to find the Impossible City. I would say that you really don't need to have read Middlegame to enjoy this book. Obviously there are easter eggs here that will mean more to those who have, but there is nothing key to the plot. I really enjoyed the sinister tone this book had. It is a fairy tale in the truest way, with a real sense of imminent peril for the children, which was great. I thought the crow girl was a fascinating character and I really loved the owls. Overall, this is set up to be a really enjoyable series and I will look forward to the next installment.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Get ready to escape to a world filled with magic, mystery, and intrigue in Over the Woodward Wall, the first in the fantasy series by A. Deborah Baker. Readers will travel on an adventure with Avery and Zib as they navigate the Up and Under. I highly recommend this book for classroom and school libraries.

Thank you NetGalley and Tor books for an advance readers copy.

Very interesting start to a new series. I got a little confused sometimes thinking I was in a different series by this author under another name, but there are very different rules in this world. I like the friendship built between the children very much. Additionally, the creatures they encounter and how they add to the small circle of friends is really important to the story as well. I look forward to the next installment.

I was super excited about this book when I found out about it - A. Deborah Baker is a pseudonym for Seanan McGuire, who wrote one of my favorite books series (Wayward Children). Despite the fact that this book is a plot point in one of McGuire’s other books, Middlegame (which I haven’t read), I felt like the synopsis gave me enough to figure out what was going on: two vastly different children climb a wall and get stuck in a world full of talking owls, battling royalty, and improbable roads, and must work together to figure out how to return home.

And yes, that is what happens in the book ... but I didn’t really understand who the book was for, if that makes sense. Would it have helped me enjoy the book more if I had read Middlegame? Did I not love it as much as expected because I wasn’t really in the mood for a fairytale, or for a story with lots of life lessons sprinkled throughout? McGuire’s writing is beautiful - lyrical, profound, poignant - and this book was full of gems about growing up, becoming an adult, friendship, family, love, etcetera ... I just didn’t really ‘get it,’ unfortunately. Regardless, I’m glad I read the book.

This was very reminiscent of her Wayward Children series. It was a cute short story that was a mix of the Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland. I liked the world building of this story. I have yet to read Middlegame which I am told relates to this but on it's own it was enjoyable.

I received and ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was such a fast, quick read! I enjoyed the writing style, and the story was something that was a bit whimsical and dark at times. I felt a bit confused during some parts, but the two main characters were extremely fun and really carried their weight within the story.

You can find my coverage for Frolic here: https://frolic.media/perfect-pairings-books-and-horror-movies/
(It's a Halloween inspired post that pairs books with Halloween films!)

Thank you for sending a copy!

This book is an expansion of another book, Middlegame. In it, you learn the full story of some mythical characters who find adventure. While it isn't anything groundbreaking on its own, it is a well-written tale and is worth reading if you want to gain a deeper understanding of Middlegame.

This was one special book. I love the duality of it - a children's story, but also poignant commentary on important life lessons. I went back and reread Middle Game so that I would catch all the important details of Over the Woodward Wall. It was great to finally learn more about Avery and Zib! Overall, this was a fantastic companion novel!

If you’ve read Middlegame, Over the Woodward Wall is the story within a story from that book. If you haven’t read Middlegame yet, I’d highly recommend going and reading it. But this novella doesn’t require you to have read Middlegame. Instead, you would just have a slightly different reading experience.

As always, every sentence is beautifully crafted. This reads exactly like a fairytale or children’s story should, which is to say there’s a lot of things that shouldn’t make sense but absolutely do. There’s also some excellent social commentary about gender roles, parenting, and friendship. While the ending was a bit abrupt, it still worked with the story. And leaves the door open for sequels.

Overall, I loved finally getting to meet Avery and Zib in their own story! Seanan McGuire will forever be one of a my favorite authors and I can’t wait to see what she comes out with in the future.

*Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book for free from the publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.