I was extremely skeptical after reading the first few chapters, because it seemed like a Matilda knockoff: a highly educated and ambitious girl, despite being raised by self-centered and neglectful parents. She seeks solace in books, fights against oppression, and ends up with the happy ending we all know she deserves. However, in this book, the oppressors are the protagonist's parents, rather than an overbearing headmistress, and the oppressed are the town's inhabitants, rather than the students of the school. I liked that Leeva managed to develop a few close friendships with kids who also had some issues to overcome and, of course, that her beacons of safety and hope are the town librarian and her nephew. Despite the similarities to Matilda, this was still an enjoyable book that will open up these types of stories to a whole new generation of readers.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance copy to review.

Are you a fan of Roald Dahl's Matilda? If yes, then you will enjoy Leeva At Last.

What are people for? That is the question

Leeva Thornblossom was born to bring fame and riches for her parents. She is not allowed to leave the house except to get the newspaper once a week and accompany he father to the grocery store. She longs for a friend and to be able to go to school.

One day Leeva decides to leave the yard and finds herself at the library. With the help of the librarian, her nephew, a badger and a boy in a hazmat suit can Leeva find the answer to her question?

Sara Pennypacker's books are always a joy to read. Her characters are loveable. This definitly has a place in my classroom library. The illustrations are a nice touch especially when reading with the lower grade levels.

This is a delightful story with endearing characters and an inspirational reminder that one's life path is not determined by your parents or upbringing. And the power of librarians and good friends! The writing style and absurd premise made me think of The Phantom Tollbooth. It took me a chapter or two to get into the characters, but once I did, I couldn't wait to see what Leeva was going to do next.

Written in the style of Matilda and A Series of Unfortunate Events, Leeva at Last takes child abuse as humor to a new low. I know the target audience are youngsters, but this adult can not separate the horror of actual child neglect from the satire of these stories where children are at the mercy of their guardians. Perhaps the cruelty is a delicious fantasy to well-loved boys and girls whose parents provide them plenty of books and love. But as a citizen of the world, I have seen too much to embrace this story as just good fun. Call me a kill-joy if you want, but I don’t find stories about animal or child cruelty entertaining even with an eventual happy ending.

What a fun, precocious, self-starting character! This reminds me so much of Matilda from Roald Dahl and I couldn't be more in love! What a fantastic plot and I love the simplistic illustrations! Yay!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-ARC of this new middle grade novel by Sara Pennypacker.

The beginning of Leeva at Last presents Leeva, almost as a modern day Matilda. This book is so much more, though. Though her parents are downright awful, there's no Trunchbull, and the adults she encounters are so much deeper than Miss Honey. I loved this book, and can't wait for students to read this one.