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.