Wow, while I do review middle grade books I am very choosey with which ones I request. I am so glad I requested this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for approving my audio arc of Olivetti in exchange for my honest review.

This book was an emotional journey that underneath the main and sub plots has so many life lessons and can provide a connection to middle grade readers, particularly boys.

I listened to the audiobook which was very well narrated. I expect that this added to my enjoyment of the book more than I wouldn’t have had I read the digital Or physical copy. So
If you have trouble with a traditional
Read of the book, give the audio book a try as it brings it to life.
The book is half told from Ernest a young boy who has a special Interest in reading dictionaries. He uses words and definitions to control his anxiety.

The alternating half is told from the perspective of the families typewriter. Listening to the inner thoughts of a typewriter literally made me want to take my out of the attic and use it. That is how well written and expressive the prose was.
While it was age appropriate for a middle reader it also was perfectly enjoyable for an adult to read.

I don’t want to give any thing away so I’ll say that I highly recommend this book for any young reader, especially as a school reading choice. It’s a great book for parents to explore with their kids as well.

The only negative thing was with 20 minutes left as the book was wrapping everything up, the app crashed due to routine maintenance for NetGalley App and Webpage. That of course wasn’t the books fault. Yet it would have been nice to have a heads up about maintenance as I was so upset to wait for the ending! That’s how much I loved this book.
Rating
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars and I rarely round up.

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

A book of Magical realism — for middle graders — listened to as an audiobook — where the narrators of the story were enjoyable and easy to listen to as the story unfolds.
A young boy ( who is possibly neurodivergent ) `s mother goes missing and with the help of a sentient typewriter they search together to find where his mother has gone.
This is a heartfelt , heartrending, moving storyline and plot geared towards middle graders age group. I did have a hard time relating to most of the characters — my favourite was the typewriter which I was most invested in the outcome. — The concept of using the typewriter as a perspective is unique and creative.
This book at its depth is really about dealing with grief , uncontrollable change and life struggles— and how everyone deals with or reacts differently to coping with these things. The most important point of the book though is how communication is important in relationships of any kind.
Thank-you to Netgalley and RB Media for this ARC. This is my honest review.

What a charming, sweet little story this was! I thoroughly enjoyed this one!

I’m not usually a fan of middle grade books, but this was beautifully written and I can see how this will be enjoyable for both children and adults alike!

Our story follows Ernest, a 12 year old boy on the search for his missing mother. The only substantial clue as to where she could possibly be is Olivetti, her sentient typewriter that she pawned. Both characters were very fun. I loved them and their voices, especially Olivetti.

This book did a great job touching on topics of family, worry, grief, and abandonment in a way that was heartwarming and compulsively readable. I think it was done very appropriately for the age of reader it is intended for. I will absolutely be recommending this one to younger readers in the near future.

A huge thanks to NetGalley, Allie Millington, and RB Media for sending me an advance readers audiobook in return for my honest review!

Title: Olivetti by Allie Milington
Publication Date- 03/26/24
Publisher- RB Media
Overall Rating- 5 out of 5 stars

Review: Review copy given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

First and foremost the audio production was spectacular. Very distinct voices between characters and performed in a way that the age group could hear without feeling bored.

Outside of that, I also felt this was a very powerful story. It’s heartbreaking at times and could lead to some tears. However, this is one of those stories that could spark a lot of conversation between families and answer questions that are often avoided. If I had a child I would read this with them and use it as a tool to answer questions about grief and anticipatory grief.

Not only is the story well written but the characters both main and side are very likable. Even as an adult reading this story I made notes of quotes that I appreciated.

All in all a very important story for young people and adults alike. Has some magical realism that made it more interesting and took some weight off the heaviness that comes with some of the topics discussed. Very cute and also thought provoking, a good balance between the two.

If you would have asked me what object would you like a perspective from in a book…not in a million years would I come up with a typewriter. I’m so glad I came across this magical gem of a book… meet Olivetti… a beloved typewriter to the Brindle family, who sadly has been forgotten with time and technology. Meet Ernest a lover of words… and one who keeps to himself often escaping to the rooftop deck. You are introduced to the rest of the Brindles but the story is told through Olivetti and Ernest’s perspective.

This is a sad but heartwarming story about family, friends, magical moments… & reflection. With mentions of bookshelves, pawn shops a kingdom of blankets “Narnia” and the brilliance of tapestries. This book captured my heart and imagination and I loved every minute of it.

It also had me reflecting on a typewriter my grandma had in her basement I use to love to sit at and hear the tap, tap, tap. I haven’t thought about that in years and I’m glad this story had me reminiscing!

Thank you RB Media 🎧 Mac Kids Books 📖
Releases 3/26

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Olivetti by Allie Millington is a wholly unique story told from the first-person perspectives of an Olivetti typewriter and an anxious, introverted, and sensitive 12-year-old named Ernest. In this story, Olivetti finds himself in the center of a mystery when Ernest’s mother goes missing. Breaking the rules of typewriter code, Olivetti begins typing back to Ernest and revealing the secrets he holds within him—secrets that provide the only clues to Ernest’s mother’s disappearance. And while the mystery is at the center of this story, I wouldn’t classify this story as a mystery per se. It’s so much more than that! It’s a story about love, family, relationships, grief, and the healing that comes with allowing all of it into your life. All of which we learn through a typewriter, which Allie Millington has managed to write as much life and personality into as one would a beloved family pet. The story is witty and heartfelt. The writing is gorgeous. The cover is beautiful. And without a doubt, Olivetti—a typewriter—is now one of my new favorite book POV characters.

Kind of boring but also a sweet story. A great interpretation of family and how everyone can be going thru the same thing but feeling different.

Alternating between Ernest, a 12-year-old boy, and Olivetti, Ernest's mother's typewriter, a story of family and new friends unfolds. Ernest blames himself for his mother's recent disappearance. But Olivetti, who does not speak but is conscious and holds memories, may hold the key to the real reason.

This is an imaginative and unique story that not only explores family dynamics, but also what it feels like to finally find your voice and be heard. Though the reader does not find out what happened until later, Ernest's family has clearly been through a difficult time and they are still feeling the effects when Beatrice, Ernest's mother, goes missing. Now the family is trying to deal with their current worry even though they still haven't necessarily processed their previous trauma.

Olivetti as a character is sincere and also at times funny, particularly its views on books and laptops. Ernest is an engaging character whose struggles will feel real to readers - as will the family's relationships with each other even though they aren't working together at first.