This was fantastic and a wonderful middle grade to start off the year! The Hatmakers had me on the edge of my seat and laughing every other page. The characters, Cordelia especially, were so wonderful to follow through this atmospheric historical fantasy; the mix of real and magical history was truly a treat. The plot kept me guessing and the writing was perfectly whimsical. The world Tamzin Merchant created is so creative and thrums with the potential of Cordelia's stories to come! There's even a glossary in the back of the book that gives more insight into the ingredients Makers use to create their wonderful clothing items. This story was so special, I hope everyone picks it up!

Oh, this was such a fun read! The world was magical, the characters were lovable, and the writing was whimsical — what more could you want?

I received an electronic ARC from W. W. Norton & Company through NetGalley.
Merchant spins a fantasy world in Victorian England where Makers (crafters) use magic to create clothing for others. Each Maker guild creates a separate type of clothing - Hat, Boot, Glove, Watch, Cloak. In the past, they worked together in one location but a past set of events drove wedges among them. Now they work separately and don't communicate with each other. This is the time when Cordelia lives. She desperately wants to make her first hat but is not old enough yet. She tweaks a hat in their store and sets off a series of misadventures that circle through the main plotline. Her father is missing at sea but she refuses to believe he is dead. Her quest to locate him also weaves through the story. The main plot involves the King and Princess of England along with the King of France. The various Makers must design Peace clothing to prevent war. Sadly, their creations are stolen and altered ones replace them. Most of the Makers are arrested and thrown in prison as part of the overall evil plot. Like any good historical fantasy, the unidentified villain is directly involved in the action. Though readers may figure out who this person is, the characters do not until almost too late.
The story begins at a slow pace but picks up about a quarter of the way through. From there, the humor and action spin out and offer twists and danger that will keep readers engaged.

British-born actress Tamzin Merchant ("Pride & Prejudice," "The Tudors") makes her literary debut with "The Hatmakers," a delightful and engaging middle-grade novel centered around one compelling young child, Cordelia Hatmaker, whose beloved father fails to return from his ingredient-hunting expedition.

While most consider him to be lost at sea, Cordelia isn't quite convinced and determines to discover the truth while her family members continue to go about their daily business including fulfilling a very important order from the King for a Peace Hat.

I will confess that it took me a couple of chapters to immerse myself in the world being created by Merchant, though once I did so I was enchanted from beginning to end.

This fantasy adventure is a highly visual story - I found myself imagining the tale along with Merchant's words as I encountered such delightful characters as Cordelia, Sam, Aunt Ariadne, those Bootmakers, and others. It's not particularly surprising, I suppose, that an actress would so vividly bring to life such a story yet I must also say that "The Hatmakers" feels like the kind of book made for delightful late-night storytelling and bedtime adventures.

Everything in Cordelia's world starts to go awry when the enchantments woven into the magically manifested goods of the Hatmakers, Cloakmakers, Bootmakers, Glovemakers, and Watchmakers all begin to induce rage and chaos rather than their intentions and other mysterious happenings advance the prospect of war between England and France despite everyone's stated desire to stop it!

By following her heart, Cordelia's bravery and resourcefulness may very well prove to be essential to restoring order and unity in the Kingdom and to Making peace in the land once more.

With illustrations by Paola Escobar, "The Hatmakers" is a wonderfully paced non-stop adventure filled with imagination and heart and more than a few themes that could easily relate to our more contemporary world.

I couldn't help but adore the characters created by Merchant, especially the children, and while certain elements of the story are rather predictable Merchant beautifully weaves into that tapestry other unexpected surprises and occasional twists.

I've always felt like British writers have a tendency to speak up to children rather than down, a tendency that is fully alive in Merchant's intelligent, slightly progressive writing that that reveals a trust in children to understand complicated relationships and the sometimes weird world of adults. Merchant nicely blends together the innocent curiosity of childhood and that stage in development where a child begins to more enthusiastically assert that curiosity to learn and grow.

While quite often an actor's venture into writing feels vain or self-serving, with "The Hatmakers" Tamzin Merchant asserts herself as a worthy author of whom we should most certainly pay attention. "The Hatmakers" feels like a natural manifestation of Merchant's marvelous talent and it's a talent I hope she will continue to explore for years to come. "The Hatmakers," indeed, feels like it could easily be a series or a world of adventures and it's a world to which I'd happily return even as this reader is much more a middle-age reader than a middle-grade reader.

Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

I love the concept of the Hatmakers. There was a scene that found inappropriate for the age group (two men kissing) that was completely unnecessary and did not add anything to the story.

The story takes place in a time in England where Kings still ruled the land. Cordelia Hatmaker is told one stormy night that her father, Prospero (and yes the author uses every Shakespeare name in the book), has been lost at sea. Cordelia doesn't believe the news and sets off to find him. In the meanwhile, the King is suffering from insanity and is young daughter, Princess Georgiana is left to rule. Manipulated by Lord Witlof, Princess Georgiana finds herself in a political nightmare and it is up to Cordelia and her friends to help stop a war with France.
This story reads as if a sequel is in the works. My suggestion? Stick to the story and try to avoid putting politics into children's novels.

I really enjoyed this magical, mystical story about love and faith. It was so exciting and I loved reading every page. Cordelia is an amazing character and it was a very fun journey to follow her through her life as a hatmaker. The ending is also really awesome and I hope there will be other books!

The Hatmakers is a very cute, fast-paced, and creative middle-grade historical novel that centers on Cordelia Hatmaker, her missing father, and magic. When someone starts using their magic to cause chaos, it is up to Cordelia to solve it. This book is a wonderful debut and the first book of a series that will enthrall ten-year-old readers.

Thank you, NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the opportunity to read an advance reading copy.

Love, family, and what people are willing to do for them are themes that you'll find in this book and it's done so well. The story was a great read and I'll be recommending this to people with young readers. It's fantastical and richly described. The characters stand out in their own ways, there isn't a flat one in the group.

It was longer than I was expecting which wasn't a bad thing but for some young readers may be daunting. The whimsy and uniqueness of the story are incredible, though and there are kids out there who will absolutely love it.

Tamzin Merchant’s middle grade novel tells the story of the magical Hatmakers, who have served the royal family of England for generations. Into each hat, they are able to add magic through various ingredients, always carefully weighing, measuring, and planning how each tiny decoration will interact with another to create the desired effect on the wearer. But someone is trying to stir up a war between France and English, the king seems to be acting more and more out of touch with reality, and as if all that weren’t bad enough, the head of the household, Prospero Hatmaker, has gone down with his ship in a terrible storm. At the center of all this is his daughter Cordelia, who–upon hearing that her father is “lost at sea”–decides that if he’s lost, he can be found. She spends much of time in the book attempting to acquire the means to go search for him, running into the bigger problems of royalty and war almost incidentally. Her main adversaries, as she sees them at the start, are the other Maker houses: The Glovemakers, Watchmakers, Bootmakers, and Cloakmakers. Cordelia doesn’t have near the distaste for them as the rest of her family, however, and even keeps a strong friendship with a boy her age in the Bootmaker household.

I absolutely adored the magic system in this book. There’s tons of stories about different characters having access to different magical elements and being stronger when they all come together. But in The Hatmakers, rather than usual fire/air/earth/water, these families work their magic through different articles of clothing. The rivalry between the families, although a bit heavy-handed, makes sense within the world, especially later on in the book as we learn a little more about the rough history between them.

Cordelia checks all boxes on the perky middle grade heroine list: she’s resourceful, clever, doesn’t take no for an answer, and she’s capable of working with or without adults’ help. From an adult standpoint, I would have preferred her to be a bit more nuanced–making more mistakes and struggling due to her own faults rather than the faults of others. But for children who just want a character they can step into the shoes (or hat) of and experience an exciting adventure in a unique world with, Cordelia serves as a perfectly adequate reader avatar. Adults may see the twist at the end coming, but it will take plenty a young reader by surprise, and the pieces of the story fit together nicely.

If you need something for a curious middle grade reader who’s tried the more popular series and is looking for something new, The Hatmakers is a nice choice.

Although I did enjoy this story, it's a bit too long for my collection. I do like how it set itself up for the next book in the series.

The Hatmakers is a fantastic middle-grade novel about a girl named Cordelia. Her family are the Hatmakers in the town, she being the youngest. The story takes you on an adventure with a bit of mystery and plenty of magic. It is so fun and well-written. I really enjoyed the setting and the Hatmaking technique and tools. The characters are personable and Dilly and her crew are very likable. I can't wait until the next book.

A beautiful adventure in a rich world full of fascinating characters. I could spend all day with the makers. What's not to enjoy?

Overall, I thought The Hatmakers was a really cute story. The worldbuilding is absolutely fascinating, and I wish I could have spent more time with all the different kinds of makers. I loved their history and the different ways they all bring associations into their work and magic. I adored the characters and how they were written. I think children especially will find this enjoyable. There's never any lack of something happening to keep your attention pulling forward, and there is so much silliness that it's just a delightful time.

I wish the villain had been a little less obvious-- I don't think children are any less perceptive than adults when it comes to seeing who the bad guys are. I felt like it underestimated the readers a little, and certainly the main character. That said, there were still a few twists that kept it surprising and interesting. I don't think that takes away from the reader's enjoyment of the world. I also felt like the ending left things off a little unsatisfactorily. I have to wonder if this is intended as a series? If that's the case, it's fine. It ended perfectly. If it isn't, then it's kind of disappointing that the main issue presented at the beginning of the book is only vaguely resolved.

The Hatmakers by Tamzin Merchant is an awesome fantasy novel that has mystery, adventure, suspense, magic, and a wonderfully fun and heartwarming heroine.

Cordelia Hatmaker is an awesome, feisty, intelligent, and extremely like able character to love and champion on her quest to find out what has happened to her father, as well as trying to navigate her complicated, whimsical world. I enjoyed the obstacles, her ability with her companions to navigate the waters of this unique and creative altered world (unique yet great in that it still gives me a historical fiction, Victorian-London feel). I liked Goose as well.

The book is full of fascinating imagery, plot lines, and complex characters. It is labeled as young adult, however I am much older (ok not that much older), and I truly enjoyed everything about it. Could easily be for middle grade-adult readers. This seems to be the first in a series, and I sure hope it is, because it would be a wonderful series to follow and enjoy.

5/5 stars highly recommend

Thank you NetGalley and W.W. Norton & Company for this ARC and in return I am submitting my unbiased and voluntary review and opinion.

I am posting this review to my GR and Bookbub accounts immediately and will post it to my Amazon, Instagram, and B&N accounts upon publication on 1/7/21.

I received an ARC of this book and I am so glad I did! The book is magical!. Cordelia belongs to a family that has been Hatmakers to the Royal family for generations. However, their hats do more than look good, they are magical and can engender certain emotions or actions. For example, a hat can help the King to focus more on his duties and make good decisions. But Cordelia's father didn't come home from his last hat-making-supply voyage- his ship sank just before entering the river. So, Cordelia and her family have to make a special royal hat even though their own emotions are low. There are other Maker families as well, Shoemakers, Clockmakers, etc, but there has been division among the groups for generations. Not only is Cordelia's father missing, presumed drowned, but someone is sabotaging the set of clothes all the makers are creating for the Princess' peace talks with France! Wonderful world-building and delightful language bring this middle-grade chapter book story to life. Highly recommended!

An adventurous tale of friendship, family, and fighting against the odds, "The Hatmakers" spins a beautifully woven plot that balances on the thread between predictable for more mature audiences (due to the excessive use of common - though more modern - literary tropes and references to classic literature) to delightful for those who enjoy the act of gathering clues throughout a story to discover the twist earlier on! Merchant offers subtle social, economic, and political critique that sagely adds both depth and humor to the novel, making it enjoyable for all ages. Fun, witty, clever, and comical, "The Hatmakers" is a must-read, especially for young readers who will grasp the intricacies of Merchant's wordplay and allusions.

The Hatmakers is a delightful fairy tale about love of family, friendship, courage, hope, and what we will do to protect the people and things that we hold dear. Debut author Tamzin Merchant leaves no stone unturned nor detail left dangling. The story beautifully encapsulates adventure, fantasy, and lovable characters while telling a tale that will certainly become an instant classic. When our brave protagonist loses her beloved father in a stormy boating accident, Cordelia Hatmaker embarks on the adventure of a lifetime. Her goal of finding her father soon turns into much much more as she realizes it is up to her to maintain peace in the kingdom. Along the way, she meets a whole host of interesting characters placed in her path to either help or hinder her search and her imminent mission. Luckily for Ms. Merchant's future fans, The Hatmakers final page lends itself perfectly to an upcoming sequel. I am grateful to NetGalley and W. W. Norton and Company for this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. Also, thank you Ms. Merchant for discovering your gift for the written word. I will definitely be recommending this precious book to my students and middle school friends.

Semi zany/wacky fantasy novel that plays creatively with words and ideas and offers up an appealing, hopeful, and stalwart new heroine. There are elements of Dahl here, but in an altogether more lighthearted vein than that author's books usually mine.

3.5
This was such a fun story that is completely unique and magical! I loved the characters in this book and at the beginning, I didn't fully connect with them but as the story went on I became more and more attached. I also loved how unique the magic was! I love how it was based on creativity and belief in yourself which I think is important for children to read!

The only issue I had is that this book jumps straight into the action, which while I think is important for children to keep engaged I also felt like there wasn't enough time, in the beginning, to get settled with the characters so in the first 25% I was slightly confused on who everyone was.

Other than that I would definitely recommend this!

The beginning of this book felt incredibly cheesy- the last names of the characters, the over dramatics, and the naivety of the protagonist. Half way through I thought I had predicted the rest of the book. However the pace picked up and plot was a littler thicker than I had imagined. I would give the slow beginning a 2-star rating and the last half a 4 -star. So I guess that averages our to. A 3-star

This is a Historical Fiction Fantasy Middle Grade book. I have to say I love this world/the magic in this book. This book was very well written. I also really loved the mystery. I enjoyed the characters in this book. The characters was very developed, and they made the story come to life. I did not want to put this book down, so I stayed up late just to finish reading this book. I think this book would be good for 5th grade and older. As an adult I also think adults will love this book. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Norton Young Readers) or author (Tamzin Merchant) 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. This book is schedule to be release on January 7-2021.