Thank you so much to NetGalley for sending me a copy of this book! I really enjoyed this book and I definitely would recommend this for a quick read!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and review.

It's such a beautiful yet painful novel of a friendship between Aster and a boy she accidentally meets luring behind her school. I say painful, because Aster is dealing with many things: her mother leaving, feeling inadequate and dull in a school with children considered brilliant, and a diagnosis--a report about her anxiety disorder her father delivered to her school.⁠
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"I am not destined to run the country or win the Nobel Prize or make art installations that they show in the Louvre. I'm not destined for anything. I was never," she says. Am I allowed to find myself in a middle grade novel? Is it normal that such a book resonates with me so much? I struggled with being average my whole childhood, and it's still something that bothers me, especially that for some reason, it's only brilliant people who decide to befriend me. (I guess good news for all you reading this who are my friends.)⁠
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Aster is struggling with many things, among them with empathy and doing small things for others every day just to prove that she is, in fact, not a bad person and not beyond repair. Scary, I know, but not unrealistic. When she meets Xavier, who wears princess pajamas, he comes up with another way to make life better. They carry on these missions together.⁠
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I know I'm writing from my adult perspective, but I'm also convinced that this book is a good choice for educators trying to find a book that would open a discussion on difficult topics.⁠
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Also, it's one of the first Australian books I've ever read. How about that?⁠

I really liked this book and what it talked about. It was very touching and I enjoyed it a lot. It is perfect for readers ages 10-13.

Absolutely beautiful. I had so many students in mind when I was reading this. I wish this would have won the Newbery award for this year. I think all kids will find themselves represented in this book. It also touches on deep topics that we sometimes think our kids aren't ready for, but presents them in a way, from a kid's POV that will make the message loud and clear for kids. I can envision wonderful discussions stemming from this book.

I received an advance copy. All thoughts are my own.

Full review pending at Film Stories online

This might have been the perfect book to see out 2020. Life is difficult for Aster, and this book doesn't promise any neat solutions or propose any pat morals. It just says: life is difficult, but if you trust some people, you can hold on to each other and get through. And I think children need to hear that too.

I really struggled with setting in this book. The location is barely mentioned and I found that mystery rather distracting. The plot, though, is interesting. It's this exploration of mental illness with a frankness and acceptance that we seldom see in middle grade fiction.

Wonderful book about a neuro-divergent girl and how she makes sense of the world, especially how she copes with 'noise' which can make her navigate the world differently. She is trying to understand why her mum left and believes if she does one 'good, right thing' a day, her mum will come back. She attends a school for gifted children but at times even that is too much, until she finds a rabbit in the rose garden who belongs to a boy called Xavier, Slowly Xavier and Aster become friends and through the friendship and being understood by someone, Aster begins to grow in confidence. I found this book a little tricky to get into, mainly because its written from inside Aster's head and I was worried it would be a sad story. After a couple of chapters I then read it all in one go, enchanted by the way the story develops and unfurls, gently and slowly. The relationship with her dad and aunt are wonderful and there is some mild scariness when the class bully picks on her but the rabbit is always there to comfort her when needed. The author captures perfectly the insides of a child and recreates childhood so successfully that I wanted cornflakes and hot milk after reading! Just a lovely gentle book.

With thanks to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a review.

This novel is beautifully written and my main reason for 3 stars is that it was touted as a middle grade novel. I read it aloud to my 10 and 13 year olds and I feel like it is more of a YA level. It was quite dark and had a lot of issues going on that I felt were too mature for the middle grade set. That being said, we do typically opt for light-hearted fun reads so this one just may have been the wrong genre for us. I am definitely in minority from the other reviews I've seen so read it for yourself and let me know what YOU think!

Thank you to Yellow Brick Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read a pre-release of this story. My review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Aster has dealt with a lot in her 11 years but her mother leaving has really thrown her for a loop. So she tries to stay hidden, invisible, and she tries to do a good, right thing every day to atone for everything else. When she meets a quirky neighbor and another troubled girl she may find that some things can be good and right for her too.

This was a pretty decent book. The Australian vocab and setting may make it hard for some readers.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me access to this. The reason I have rated it low is because this just wasn’t for me, but i am not the intended audience, and I think it’s intended audience would love it

Aster is a young girl. She doesn’t think she is special at all, because if she was special, her mother wouldn’t have left. Even though everyone tells her that it was not her fault, Aster isn’t so sure. And so everyone else doesn’t leave her too, Aster does her best to be special, by doing one good deed a day.

This was a lovely book, and it made me a bit teary at the end, as Aster learns to forgive herself, and that everyone of us has a story to tell, and we can’t always control the actions or feelings of others.It is true that other people’s actions really don’t have anything to do with us.

This book had a very good message about growing up, getting along with others in the world and not worrying too much about being perfect. There are so many morals gently told in this book, and they are just right. It’s a good story without the messages, and an even better one with them. I loved Aster, she was a really great narrator. I was cheering for her.

Who should read this? Anyone. it is aimed at middle school children, but anyone would enjoy it. Read it on a day when you are feeling a bit down and need a treat. I think this book will make anyone feel the joy of their life and know that everything will be okay.

The writing in this book is so, so amazing. Like, I felt like it just blew me away in some moments. It’s the perfect blend of poetic and frank and achingly good.

This is one of those stories that breaks your heart and fills you with hope. The fallout of Aster’s relationship with her mom– the hurtful words that cut Aster so deeply– was heartbreaking. Watching Aster navigate her hurt and learn how to reach out in spite of it, and because of it, was such a powerful thing to read, though. I loved the way she developed a community of friends around her. It was like watching a flower come into bloom.

I loved Aster’s relationship with the rabbit and its owner, Xavier. I loved the way she showed kindness to Indigo even when she didn’t deserve it, because she could see beneath her prickly, angry exterior.

It’s possible that this is one of those books that wraps things up a bit too neatly for some people to believe, but I felt like the ending was perfect for me at this moment. I needed hope. I need to believe that sometimes, even against the odds, things just come out right.

I totally recommend this book. I think readers who enjoyed CATERPILLAR SUMMER by Gillian McDunn or HURRICANE SEASON by Nicole Melleby will love this story.

Note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. It’s clearly a middle grade book. I read it in hopes my 4th and 5th graders would be able to relate but I think its better suited for grades 6-9. It’s a wonderful story about a girl who doesn’t feel like she is special and struggles with her thoughts. It’s a great story to show kids that everyone feels alone sometimes and struggles with sadness sometimes.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Riveted Press for the earc to read and review.

What a beautiful story about a Neurodivergent girl who doesn’t fit in to her world, who has big worries and big questions but is too afraid to ask them. She does a good, right thing to make someone else happy, she does this everyday fearing something will happen to her if she doesn’t and adds it into her notebook each time.

I didn’t know how I would feel about this book honestly, I went into reading this forgetting completely what it was about and ended up being so surprised and so moved by the story that was before me.

This book is definitely on the older age group for readers it’s a very mature grown up book, dealing with a lot of big issues and is a perfect way to explain to someone what neurodivergent is, it’s handled so carefully and written so perfectly.

The characters are all perfect and realistic and flawed as any human should be. You have our protagonist Aster who moves your heart completely as you read about her fears, her struggles and the growth, bravery and development she goes through. Xavier the boy who lives next to her ‘gifted kids school’ has many struggles of his own and the ‘black dog’ gets him, but with Aster he finds an escape from it. He was a wonderful character and the best first friend for Aster. Then we have Indigo that honestly you cannot not feel for all you want is things to be better for her. We also have the adults that care so much for Aster, all seeing the greatness within her and wanting to help her grow. The characters were all incredibly wonderful.

This story had me crying by the end few chapters, it was beautiful, creative, delicate and it hits you hard with this touching story.

Aster's Good, Right Things is a story about a neurodivergent kid making it through a short period in her life. While I think this is an excellent, well done look at one way a person - and a child, in particular - experiences the world, I don't quite find the plot compelling enough to recommend it to a kid. I think it's a good read to hand to an adult who doesn't seem to "get it," but I don't know that I would give it to kid because it's a great story. Everything sits a bit too high on the surface, even the things that Aster is feeling deeply - her relationship with her mother, her own "differences" from those around her - and left me feeling like I was skimming through the story and maybe missing important bits.

The characters are all lovely. I am very fond of Aster and Xavier, and I feel for Indigo. The adults in the story all feel real, and I love how hard they're all working to ensure that Aster, in particular, feels safe and loved. I want more for them than the story is willing to give, however.

I received an eARC from Netgalley, that doesn’t affect my opinion of the book, all my thoughts are my own and honest.

"I can’t let go of them – the good, right things—because if I do I’ll turn into a cloud and I’ll float away, and a storm will come and blow me to nothing."

11 years old, Aster does not think she is special at all, or her mother wouldn’t have left her. So she set herself a challenge, to do something every day to make someone else’s day better, if not the world will fall apart.

All I wanted to do throughout this whole book is to give Aster a hug. She was depressed and was going through something and she felt like she couldn’t tell anyone. Over the course of the book, she went from listening to the voices, feeling like she was invisible, ghost-like and not sad about it, to finally letting a few people in, and thinking maybe the good right things could make her happy too.

Xavier was her turning point, she finally had a friend who wouldn’t leave her, took all of her and didn’t want to try and change or fix her, she finally didn’t feel so alone.

I normally read fantasy, so when I hate a character, I am normally ok about it as they are from a fantasy world, but when it’s contemporary it feels more like the real world to me, and I find it harder to be ok about hating a character. But boy did I hate the mother, I mean how could she do that to a child. Through flashbacks, you got to see how Aster became the quiet girl she is today because she wasn’t when she was younger and the reason is her mother.

I think Gordon did a great job writing about a hard-hitting topic like depression and making it very simple especially when it is targeted for a younger audience. She was able to write about depression without ever saying the word. I felt like the representation of depression was very well done from personal experience, but like anxiety, it is different for everyone.

This was a great read, it made me feel many emotions, sad throughout the whole book, hopeful at the end and a definite appreciation for my mother. I definitely recommend if you are wanting a book that makes you feel the feels, and I also think even though it is targeted as middle grade, adults would get something out of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Kate Gorden and the publishers for approving me a copy.

🌿BOOK REVIEW🌿

Aster’s Good, Right Things by Kate Gordon

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼/5

Aster attends a school for gifted children but she doesn’t feel special, and certainly not gifted. She tells herself that if she was then maybe her mother would have stayed. To cope with the “noise” in her head, Aster decides that every day she will do a good, right thing. This is something to make someone else’s day better but she can’t tell anyone else about this task otherwise her good, right things won’t count.

One day when she runs to the boundaries of the school grounds to visit a rabbit that she has befriended, she finds it actually has an owner. Xavier is in his fairy princess pyjamas and explains that he goes to school at home. As the two become closer he also confines that he goes to see the “man with x-ray eyes” and that he is often visited by a “black dog”.

Aster struggles at school especially because a girl called Indigo makes her life even more difficult. It soon becomes clear that Indigo has her own struggles and acting out was a coping mechanism. When Aster’s aunt (who is a foster parent) looks after Indigo, the two become closer.

Aster friends are a constant reminder that not everyone is okay all the time, and it is okay to have a bad day! It also highlights how every behaviour is a manifestation of a deeper emotion.

Although it is only Xaviers depression that is explicitly mentioned there are other mental illnesses hinted at during this book. Aster appears to be struggling with anxiety and OCD, while her mothers erratic behaviour mirrors bipolar disorder.

This is the kind of book I wish I had growing up, highlighting what mental illness is and it is also okay to not have the “perfect” family! This book left me really emotional and I am so glad I got the chance to read it!

I was kindly provided with an advanced copy via NetGalley.

THIS. COVER. Have you seen this cover? It might be the most beautiful cover ever. It’s nothing too fancy, but it’s so flawless in its simplicity. I don’t know if it’s the color scheme or what, but I find it so aesthetically pleasing. It calms my soul.

This is a beautiful, heartfelt, sad-but-also-warm story. We follow 11 year-old Aster, who is an absolutely lovable character, but doesn’t feel like she fits in and blames herself for her mom leaving her and her dad. She has to deal with a lot of heavy issues most kids her age don’t even think about, but she soon discovers that she’s not the only one who’s struggling through life and that a little friendship can go a long way.

I loved how the story dealt with important topics like anxiety, depression, parents abandoning their kids and the fact that none of us look exactly the way we feel. You never know what someone else might be going through, so the best you can do is be kind. That’s a great takeaway for a middle-grade book. Everyone fights their battles in their own way, and that’s okay.

And to finish off I’ll leave you with my favorite quote because the Peter Pan in me can’t help it: “There is no such thing as childish, really. I think we’re all just kids, always. No matter how old we get. Some of us are just better at hiding it. And I think the longer you can stay true to it and not hide it, the truer you are as a person.”

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC in exchange of an honest and voluntary review.

I would like to thank Kate Gordon, Riveted Press, and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review of Aster's Good, Right Things. This book broke me to pieces and mended my fragile heart back together again in such a short amount of time. When the book was over, I did not want to say goodbye to the characters. It was a book that I wish I had when I was younger to give me support during the hard times.

Aster is dedicated to doing one good deed a day since her mother decided to leave her and her father. Kate Gordon paints a beautiful and harsh picture of what abandonment does to children. Aster struggles with her own identity and whether he mother left because she was not good enough. She suffers from trauma and anxiety but has a wonderful support system with her father and aunt. Young Aster believes that if she puts out enough good into the world, the world will return that favor. While Aster learns that that may not always be true, she does come to learn all the positives that can be found.

This middle grade novel was masterfully written, taking over a permanent residence in my head and my heart. I was cheering for Aster during every page. I will absolutely be ordering a physical copy of this book and encouraging others to do this well.