Melanie is a smart kid who loves to get lost in imaginary worlds but has a bit of trouble navigating this one. We follow her in the few months it takes for her class to put on a production of "Peter Pan", during which she develops some new friendships, learns to stand up for herself and deals with difficult events from her past.

Melanie is also (spoiler alert!) an unreliable narrator, which was an interesting thing to have in a middle-grade novel. Sure, most adult readers will guess the major plot twists early on, but I imagine it would take kids a bit longer to catch on.

I enjoyed quite a few aspects of this, especially some of Melanie's observations about magic intertwining with the real world, but struggled with other parts, especially the stereotypical school bully. I also wasn't quite sure about the decision to set the book in the 80s - I imagine it was done to make use of "simpler times" where kids could ride bikes all around town instead of playing on their phones, but it didn't work for me completely.

In general, really, although I found the book whimsical and a lot of its messages relevant, it didn't quite pack the punch it should have. It's not so much about any specific flaws; rather, the whole packaged lacked a certain oomph that really would have taken it to the next level.

The first time they met, Sabrina “came out of nowhere” according to Melanie, an imaginative 5th grader at the experimental school Buckminster Elementary. As they develop a friendship, Sabrina helps Melanie cope with her mother’s disappearance and a father who prefers to spend time creating art than paying attention to his daughter. After being cast as Peter Pan in the upcoming school musical, Melanie learns to stand up against the school bully and make true friends by being her authentic self. As the one year anniversary of her mother’s disappearance approaches, Melanie confronts her anxieties stemming from her family’s tragic past and finds that forming real, honest connections with her loved ones can help heal pain better than any make-believe world ever could.


THOUGHTS: Readers identifying as outsiders will connect with the main character in this story as well as middle grade readers struggling with difficult life experiences including divorce, death, and bullying. Readers should have a basic knowledge of Peter Pan in order to deeply understand Melanie’s emotions and grief. Some older readers may not have the patience to read the story entirely, especially if they pick up on key details early on that lead to revelations at the end of the story.

I really loved this book, Even though I guessed the ending it still made me cry. The story is really well written and drew me in from the start, once I began, I couldn't stop reading it..
The story is of Melanie and her relationships with her friends and her mother, It is beautiful and emotional and i would recommend for all - young adult and adults!

With tons of heart, thought and emotion, this is a journey of a girl finding herself.

Melanie is a fifth grader, who keeps to herself and doesn't fit in with the rest of the kids. During one of the regular bullying sessions, she finds a new friend at her side. This friend is exactly the push she needs to gain courage not only to stand up for herself but also to learn who she is and what she even wants. Melanie also begins the journey of healing as she takes the hunt for her missing mother into her own hands...one that leads to a few surprises along the way.

Melanie is a lovely girl, who has shielded herself off from others. Her awkwardness is endearing but not as much as her heart of gold. Her very active imagination is what will capture readers as she tries to fiddle her way and find her place in the world. But then, fifth graders will easily relate to how awkward fitting in or standing out can be.

The story shines thanks to two main twists. The first one is already clear in the first pages, but young readers probably won't pick up on it for quite some time. It adds a nice touch which had me smiling. The second is also a bit predictable, but it definitely adds the intriguing punch. Especially the ending picked up pace and edged this closer to a four star review, but it wasn't quite enough.

This read is short and entertaining. Young readers will find quite a bit to sympathize with and feel connected to. The ideas of bullying, learning who you are, friendship, loss, overcoming certain fears, and embracing family are all wonderful messages and perfect for the intended age group. While so much is included, I found myself skipping paragraphs again and again...and still, had no trouble keeping up with the tale. Also, this is placed in the 1980's. The author brings in quite a bit of pop-culture from that time, and while she does take the time to explain the important references, I'm not sure it will interest this age group or resonate with them.

All in all, this is a lovely tale with tons of goodness. I'm sure the right reader will enjoy it quite a bit.

I think that some of the language and words used in the book will make it a bit unaccessible for its intended audience. Some of the transitions between chapters/scenes were confusing and the Mel/Sabrina situation will be hard for some to grasp. That being said, I think more books on dealing with grief need to be written, this one has good bones but I think needs more development. There are some good quotes and moments but it fell a little flat.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

This was a lovely whimsical read about a young girl navigating daily life at school and at home. Melanie befriends a girl called Sabrina and they become inseparable. Sabrina is everything Melanie isn't and really draws Melanie out of herself to be more confident and less shy.

I guessed the outcome of this story within the first third of the book however it was still a beautiful story and well worth finishing to the end.

The author covers loss and imagination within this book give grace and delicacy and I really enjoyed reading it.

I love reading children’s novels because of their unique approach to problems, so I had high hopes for Believe by Julie Mathison. This book did not hit its mark and there are serious problems that are impossible to ignore.

*Content warning: abuse, bullying, mental illness, loss of a loved one, racism, ableist language.

The book is set in the 80s and follows Melanie, a young girl struggling to fit in. She’s being bullied at school, she doesn’t have friends, and her mother is missing. Things start falling into place when she befriends Sabrina; Melanie gains more confidence, she finds a home with the school drama production, and she plans to find her mother.

One positive aspect of this book was how Mathison approached the topic of grief. It was very relatable and was explained in a way that a younger audience could understand.

That being said, it felt like I was reading something from the 80s—and not in a good way. The language is outdated and it made me very uncomfortable. This is a problem that should not be ignored.

Early on, ableist language is used and this is continued throughout the book. It should go without saying that these comments are inappropriate.

Along with this, racist language is used. I am Indigenous and reading the main character refer to Indigenous people as “Indians” made my skin crawl. This is not okay! In one scene, the main character explains how the proper terminology is “Native American.” If the character knows this, why isn’t this the term used throughout the book? Why not have this conversation earlier (not in the middle of the book) and prevent the use of derogatory language? If you’re not Indigneous, you should not use this terminology.

The racist and ableist comments turned me off from this book and overshadows the positives mentioned earlier. I would not recommend this book to anyone, especially children, without also providing resources to educate readers on the problems found within the text.

This e-ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is a difficult book to assess because I know it's for a younger audience. But even still - I think there are things this book does well and then things that take you away from the experience of reading it.
This book exists almost in a duality of times - the author's experience of a time past, and then the attempt to connect to a present. This language has a bit of a dissonance to me as a reader, and I question when language came into play quite a few times.
The story itself is absolutely predictable from the beginning. There is no stray from this expectation and the characters all act predictably. This is unfortunate, as this is a tale of coping with loss and grief. The potential of ideas, imagination, and missed opportunities of development are all on display in the worst sense, which really brings this narrative down. This book repeatedly fails to live up to the opportunity its name provides.
But then this book ends in a sort of almost ending, nearly as if there is half a resolution to the story, and then the other side is almost a promise for a resolution. But that promise is hardly fulfilling enough and I feel mostly like this is just forgettable.

A fantastic teen story so wonderfully written. A unique plot line following the everyday struggles of young girl. This book tackles mental health in a way that young children can access. The ending was a refreshing surprise, satisfying but not stereotypical. A beautifully written novel.

This is a cute middle grade book. I appreciated the main character's imagination and spirit. Melanie experiences the same frustrations with school and friendships that many students know. She also has changes in her home life that make life even harder. I think middle grade readers can relate to Melanie and can learn from her.
At times I did wonder what the main plot of the book was because it seemed to be a series of subplots all vying for center stage. However, I think that style complements the typical middle grade reader. I would add this book to my classroom library.

My eight year old daughter loved this book! She had a hard time putting it down. At dinner, she would excitedly tell me about what had been happening in the book. She read it in about 5 days. I think other girls from about 2nd grade through early middle school would also like this book. The reading level is appropriate for strong second grade readers on up. We will be looking for more titles by this author!

So I'm writing this review as someone who is over ten years older than the target demographic for this book. However, that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this book.
The story follows Melanie, a fifth-grader, as she navigates school, and does her best to avoid Karen, the school bully. Then Melanie meets Sabrina, a girl who is fearless and doesn’t care what anyone thinks of her. Sabrina slowly draws Melanie out of her shell and encourages her to believe in herself. The only thing missing is Melanie’s mum, however Sabrina is convinced they can track her down.

I can't remember the last time I read middle grade, but really enjoyed this book, it has a really whimsical feel the whole way through that I loved. I loved Melanie as a character, I loved her imagination and the way she saw the world. The book managed to cover topics such as grief and loss in a really lovely way, that would be perfect for younger readers.
Mathison did an amazing job of only having a handful of characters, but making them all really unique and interesting- I felt like I knew all the other children in Melanie’s class by the end of the book.

I guessed pretty early on the “twists” in this story, but I think that’s because I'm an adult reading a children’s book, and even then, it didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the story. I think this is a great book for pre-teens, but I also feel like it can be enjoyed by all age groups- I loved it!

I personally found it hard to really relate to the story, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t good. This book is a wonderful book to share with children. It touches on topics, such as grief and finding your courage, that I wasn’t expecting. A quick read that is perfect for younger readers.

There needs to be more books that talk about grief for kids and adolescents. This book tackles a lot of issues and how Melanie deals with things as a pre teen girl. I would encourage 5th grade and sixth grade girls to read this one.