Melanie uses her imagination to escape a myriad of challenges in this beautifully written and unique story set in the 1980s.

Melanie's story begins when she meets Sabrina. Sabrina is all the things Melanie wishes she was. She's brave and independent and doesn't care what anyone thinks of her. She's like one of Charlie's Angels. Sabrina helps Melanie face the school bully, try out for the school production of Peter Pan, and face her mother's absence.

I have very few complaints about this book. I found the author's need to make Melanie think about "advanced" topics such as Hitler and the effects of PCP and use large words and then immediately explain what she's talking about to be distracting and slightly over the top. I think including a couple of issues and leaving it to the reader and possibly a parent to discuss would have been fine. In fact, it would have made it an even better book for reading together with your child. As it is, I feel that she tried to include so many hard issues that it began to feel like she was shoving lessons down the reader's throat.

However, I did appreciate the most prevalent issues in the story; bullying, missing a parental figure, and being yourself.

The characters were mostly well developed and interesting. Melanie is definitely a girl I would have been friends with at that age. The grandmother was fun and feisty. The bully was a little too cookie cutter for me. And the teachers were a nice depiction of what an educator and encourager should be.

Overall I found the story sweet, imaginative, and deep.

I love books that I can read with my 8 year old and that we both like. So many times, I'm forcing her to read something she hates, or she's really excited about something that I'm not enjoying. This book is one we both loved and we can't wait to read more from this author.

A cute whimsical read that was relatable and enjoyable. I can see this one being a hit with middle grade students.

This is a middle grade. I wanted to love this book, but I could not make myself to care about any of the characters. This book was just not for me. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Starr Creek Press) or author (Julie Mathison) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

An engaging, fun and very emotional read, Believe has wonderful characterisation and a story that will leave an impact on the reader long after they have finished. Melanie is a brilliantly done character, with many layers and flaws that make her beautifully human. Karen was also interesting and not played completely as a villian meaning that there is some sympathy for her throughout, I also appreciated that the conflict between these characters was not completely resolved, giving the book a more believable, and therefore impactful ending. There are a number of reveals at the end that an adult reader will probably be able to see coming, however, I do think that they are done well and, although incredibly emotional, handled well. I do think however that this should be targeted towards more mature middle grade readers as there is a lot to take in at the end of the book and a lot to process, which could become upsetting to a lot of people.

All in all a wonderful book that I did enjoy and I look forward to more by this author.

Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

Rating: 3.5 / 5.0

Review:

As a reader of books of various genres, I have the particular fondness of reading middle-age and/or magical fantasy books for the purpose that one day I can encourage children to read such wonderful works of literature and encourage imagination and play.

So, when I saw the cover and scanned the blurb of Believe by Ms. Julie Mathison, I swiftly requested it as I mistook it at first as a magical "wands-and-spells" book. Although it was not what I thought it was at the beginning, I was and now am really glad that I have read it.

Ms. Julie Mathison amazingly plotted a spell-binding splice-of-life book that's sure to tug heartstrings and warm a reader's heart. Melanie, the eleven year old character was a strong girl who in a young age tried to cope the difficulties of middle school at the time of a family tragedy. While, it was through "make-believe", "imagination" and some "pixie dust" that she was able to wade through the hustle and bustle of her life, breaking points occured and coming-of-age became evident.

What I really admire about this book is how the author tried to demonstrate topics (such as bullying, death, family set ups, mental health and friendships) that are usually considered difficult or not age-appropriate to the target population of the book ,but in reality is happening in school and at home regardless of age, through Melanie's perspective. I also admire that the author tried to demonstrate such sensitive topics in her work subtly and in the guise of imagination and some "pixie dust" through a plot of "auditioning and performing in a play".

The only criticisms I will give are first, I hope the pacing of the story was more balanced. The book started a slow pace and then shifted to a fast pace (during the epiphany of Melanie) and ended still in the fast pace. Because of this, I felt hurried while reading the book. The effect of the climax was shortened, the falling action was in a rush and the denouement was a bit lacking of spark. Second, I hope more dialoagues and/or interactions were given to the side characters of the story such Gloria and Melanie's dad. With dialogues and interactions with the side characters, Melanie's character would have been more whole and the reason for her "make-believe" / coping mechanism will be more justified and realistic.

Yet, generally, the book was great. The concept of the story was good. The message of the story is relatable.

I believe this book will be loved by the target population and will help children grow strong, assertive, and aware of topics regarding emotional and mental health.

A wonderful read that promotes self belief and self confidence. I guessed one of the twists very early on, but that may be because I’m reading it as an adult and have seen it before, the intended audience probably wouldn’t! I didn’t guess the other twist though which was a nice surprise. I think this would be a great read for KS2.

Eleven-year-old Melanie knows she's special. She's never been bored. She understands the secret language of old houses and makes jewels out of broken glass. Her imagination can do anything -- except make friends. It's 1980, and life as a fifth grader at Buckminster Experimental School is lonely at best, when she's not dodging Karen, the school bully. Then, Melanie meets Sabrina, who looks like a TV star and acts like a spy, and who doesn't care what anyone thinks. She teaches Melanie how to believe in herself, and soon Melanie starts living her dreams. She even lands the lead in Peter Pan!

If only she could share it all with Mom. Missing her mom is like trying to breathe with one lung. It's bad. Sabrina thinks they can track her down, and Melanie wants to believe, but sometimes it's easier to pretend. Her new life feels like a house of cards, until one day it all comes crashing down and she finds herself with no choice but to face the truth… and let go.

I read this book in one sitting. I was absorbed and hooked from the beginning. Touching on a multitude of topics from grief to bullying, this book hits all the soft places. I think it was well written, although some concepts may be too hard to understand for some in the target audience. Overall, 3.5-4 stars.

I recieved this ebook from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! All opinions are my own.

I love day dreaming and this book gave me that warm feeling of a good dream. It was that good.

This is Melanie's story. She's a shy kid who's going through a lot. She doesn't have friends, a girl from school is bullying her and her dad is kind of lost in his art. In this book we follow Melanie as she goes with her life trying to blend in. At the beginning a teacher tells her students that there'll be auditions for the play of Peter Pan, a book Melanie loves and the story is centered around it.

This was really good and lovely. Melanie was a relatable character for me cause she's always kind of day dreaming and I found the story beautiful. I read it pretty quickly and I was shocked by the ending even though I could have imagined it. I loved that it surprised me.

It's a wonderful middle grade book and I definitely recommend it.

I know I am not the targeted audience but I was really able to relate with Melanie. I know what it is like to not have a mother in your life.
I didn't see everything coming, but I was able to predict what ended up being the case with the mother.
I really enjoyed the characters and the plot. I liked how it was centered around Peter Pan.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for my digital copy of this book.

As a 33 year old woman reading this book, i was hooked. I had read the synopsis but was unsure of how i would feel about it since i don't typically read Middle grade books. It was an easy read that still included concepts i could relate to at my age. The main character Melanie is quirky and marches to the beat of her own drum. It's a great story i would recommend anyone to read. No matter your age we have all dealt with being new somewhere, trying to make new friends, and dealing with people that want to make you feel bad about yourself. It's a great lessen to learn that it's okay to be yourself!

Melanie Harper is a 5th grader with a great imagination which helps her deal with the complexities of a pre-teen: belonging, bullying and being the new girl in a new school. Once an outsider, Melanie makes friends with Sabrina who encourages her to stand up for herself. Eventually, Melanie is cast as the lead in the school's production of Peter Pan which raises feelings of loss as Melanie used to read Peter Pan with her mom who has since left her.
This book, took me quite a while to read as many times I was disinterested.

This book was sad, hopeful, and sweet all rolled into one. I loved the idea of kind, thoughtful, but also shy Melanie and her 2 best friends, Sabrina and Leanne. I really enjoyed the idea of the book and reading it was like a little gift. Such an awesome book! This book is perfect for readers ages 8-11.

"You have to choose, even if there is only one option"

11 year old Melanie Harper, has recently moved to a new town. Her mom is "gone", her dad is lost in his own world and the only one who seems to notice her existence is the school bully. Melanie is vastly more comfortable conveying her thoughts to here journal than her peers, until Sabrina shows up. Sabrina gives her the confidence to share her writing with the class, audition for the school play and seek answers to what has happened to her mother.

One of the things I appreciate most about this book is that it's set in the 80s (1980). It's fun to remember what adolescence was like before Snapchat and Tiktok dances. We get to see what a deep, imaginative character Melanie is.

As a person who has often understood books more than people. Melanie is a character after my own heart. Mathison gently unfolds Melanie's story for the reader so well, that it feels as if we are discovering Melanie's truth right along side of her. It's a relatable story that deals equally well with adolescence, loss and finding confidence in one's self.

Believe Julie Mathison

Believe, written by Julie Mathison, is a book for readers in grades four through eight. Believe takes the readers through the day and life of Melanie a fifth-grader who deals with being a new girl in school, the pain of losing a loved one and, having to deal with a bully.
Ms. Mathison develops her narrative well with two conflicts and well-defined characters and story elements.
I enjoyed the storyline and how all of the conflicts were handled. Believe gives its readers a clear understanding of loss and pain. Melanie is a lovable character that all readers will be able to relate to and perhaps see as a role-model.

Believe is a terrific narrative of promise and hope.

I found that this book was a very deep story with a lot of traumatic and racist mentions for a children's book. It definitely wasn't what I expected from reading the synopsis. I understand that the book was set in the past, but I think we need to be discussing some of these issues in today's world (they are still fully present), and not always trying to dismiss them as issues of the past.

I got something for this book, it got good plot, but I didn't liked it, I got bored of it, I leaved it a lot of times because In some chapters it didn't said something important to me.
This may not be my book and it disappointed me besides that I loved the way the author wrote it because I wanted to highlight every phrase that came by.
Thanks Netgalley for made me recognize this great author

This was such a beautiful story of one young girl’s journey of overcoming and coping with loss. I loved the main character and her wonderful spirit. She has such an imagination that shines throughout the story. I felt the author wrote a very intriguing story that had me hooked from the start. I wouldn’t quite recommend this to a younger audience. I felt like it might be better understood from a slightly older audience. However, I do highly recommend this book. It’s definitely at the top of my favorites I’ve read this year.

Final Rating: 5 Stars

It's 1980, and 11-year-old Melanie is a girl who knows she's different. She doesn't fit in; she occupies herself with games like Jewelry Factory, where she sorts through broken glass to find jewels. At Buckminster Experimental School, where Melanie is a fifth grader, the only thing she can't seem to do on her own is make friends, so when she meets Sabrina - who reminds her of her favorite Charlie's Angels character of the same name - she's thrilled. Sabrina encourages Melanie to stand up against Karen, the school bully, and develop her self-confidence. She even lands the lead in the school play, Peter Pan! But Melanie has a painful secret that she's keeping: from her dad, from her grandmother, even from herself.

Believe is a look at love, loss, and how we cope. Julie Mathison creates a main character coping with a terrible void - her missing mother - and can't relate to most of the kids her age, adding to her stress. Julie Mathison skillfully places clues throughout the narrative that readers can use to put together the story within the story. With sensitive characters and a Peter Pan subplot that both ties into the bullying storyline and the overall story, Believe is a good story to give readers who like to really dig into a story.

Julie Mathison's debut novel "Believe" is lovely. I'm years past the recommended age group for this book, but that didn't matter one bit. It spoke to me quite loudly and is a book I'll read again as well as recommend to friend and family. Melanie as a protag is brilliant. The surrounding characters all well written and multi-dimensional. Well done!