Looking Up

by Stephan Pastis

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Timmy Failure series comes a quirky and heartwarming middle grade novel about a girl struggling with loneliness and the curveballs of life—featuring black and white illustrations throughout!

Living alone with her mother in a poorer part of town, Saint—a girl drawn to medieval knights, lost causes, and the protection of birthday piñatas—sees the neighborhood she has always known and loved disappearing around old homes being torn down and replaced by fancy condos and coffee shops. But when her favorite creaky old toy store is demolished, she knows she must act.

Enlisting the help of Daniel “Chance” McGibbons, a quiet, round-faced boy who lives across the street (and whose house also faces the wrecking ball), Saint hatches a plan to save what is left of her beloved hometown.

Genres: Middle Grade, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Fiction, Childrens, Juvenile, Graphic Novels

240 pages, Hardcover

Published October 10, 2023

About the author

Stephan Pastis was born in 1968 and raised in San Marino, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of California at Berkeley in 1989 with a degree in political science. Although he had always wanted to be a syndicated cartoonist, Pastis realized that the odds of syndication were slim, so he entered UCLA Law School in 1990 and became an attorney instead. He practiced law in the San Francisco Bay area from 1993 to 2002. While an attorney, he began submitting various comic strip concepts to all of the syndicates, and, like virtually all beginning cartoonists, got his fair share of rejection slips. Then, in 1997, he began drawing Pearls Before Swine, which he submitted to the syndicates in mid-1999. In December, 1999, he signed a contract with United.
Pearls Before Swine debuted in newspapers in January, 2002, and Pastis left his law practice in August of that year. Pearls Before Swine was nominated in 2003, 2004 and 2007 as "Best Newspaper Comic Strip" by the National Cartoonists Society (NCS) and won the award in 2004 and 2007. Pastis lives with his family in Northern California.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved it! It was quirky, fresh, with great concepts ( I was surprised at least twice) and an extensive vocabulary. The list of "topics" on p. 126 absolutely cracked me up. A story of learning to let go and how some of us cope before getting to that point. Very honest about how it can feel disconcerting when too much change/too many losses happen at once for our limited capacity. The only question--who is the audience for this book?

[Paige (pagebypaigebooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 Stars

"You know you’re a square peg in a round world when you find you’re the only person at the birthday party defending the piñata.”

I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I've also posted this review on Instagram and my blog.

Instagram Post

Blog Post

Content Warnings: grief, death of a parent

Looking Up was a very sweet read! Saint was a fantastic main character! She's very intelligent so there were a lot of her thoughtful perspectives on life throughout the book. We get to follow her as she works through her emotions and grows along with it. The writing was easy to follow and Saint's perspective added quirky and endearing elements to the story. Speaking of, the humour was on point and definitely made me smile. I also loved the illustrations and found them to be very cute. They were another interesting element to the story that created a lot of depth. I think readers of all ages would enjoy this story.

[Stasia · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I think all any of us really wants is to just not be so alone".

[Rebecca Gordon · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funniest children’s book I have read in a long time. I did not expect the twist. I did not want this book to end!

[kellymross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, poignant, moving. Really enjoyed as a read aloud!

[Hannah French · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure why this 9y/o had completely realistic delusions of a made up person that involved multiple group interactions. It’s the type of thing that usually happens with severe PTSD or schizophrenia. Felt way too intense for a book of this nature with a character who is going through a really hard time but not the altered reality kind of hard time.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saint and her mother live in the poorer part of town. Saint spends her time taking care of Dr. Rutherford B. Hayes, her pet turtle, collecting kneeling medieval knights and protecting anything that has a face, which includes birthday piñatas, gnomes and tailless donkeys. Lately, Saint has been upset by all of the changes happening in her neighborhood. Places that she's loved to visit are slowly closing or are being torn down and replaced by condos and coffee shops. When her favorite toy store, Punch's Toy Farm is demolished, Saint knows it's time to act. So, she enlists the help of Daniel Mc Gibbons. The quiet round-faced boy from across the street and together they plan to save what's left of their little town.

Stephan Pastis is the author of the Pearls Before Swine comic strip and the Timmy Failure series which has been adapted into the Disney+ movie Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made. Looking Up is a very sweet story about a very lonely little girl. Saint has complex feelings, and I quite enjoyed her use of big words. She is very bright and cares very deeply about her neighborhood. She's experienced a lot of changes over the last few years, and you get the sense that she's trying to work through everything going on around her. It's really interesting seeing her perspective on the changes. Saint also feels deeply hurt by her mother constantly breaking her promises. For example, when she promises to take Saint to her favorite toy store and then backs out of it. There's a part of this situation that Saint hasn't quite grasped yet, but I bet there are quite a few kids who would feel the same way as Saint does. Overall, the story really surprised me, the plot built slowly but wow that climax packed a punch, especially with the twist at the end that I never saw coming. What a bittersweet moment. Have a tissue handy. Saint is such a gem; she is so sweet to Daniel, and I just loved that she wanted to be his protector/knight. The black and white illustrations were adorable and added so much to the story. Yep, this is a keeper that I want to revisit again.

**A huge thank you to Aladdin and Simon and Schuster for the review copy**

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book completely took me by surprise in all the best ways possible! This book is heartwarming, happy, emotional, and takes you through a variety of many more emotions as you read this book. For starters, I did not expect to cry while reading a children's book. This book was beautifully done in so many ways. The story handles a variety of emotions that is probably geared towards children, but while reading it, I think it's safe to say we are all children at heart maybe just a little taller. This book was touching and added humor with a wonderful message and story that I did not expect, yet absolutely loved. The story kept you invested, the characters were wonderful, there was humor sprinkled throughout, and then when you were wrapped up in the story(and I thought I knew where it was headed), it hits you with all the feels with a twist I didn't see coming. I always feel that the way you know a good book is that after you've finished reading it, not only do you think about it, but you go over why you liked it. Some books are good right when you finish and then later you realize it wasn't as good as you thought at first, meanwhile others are pretty good when you finish and then the more you think about it, the better it becomes. And then you have the ones that are great at the end and the more you think about it, the more you love it. Well, this was one of those books for me, the more I've thought about it, the more I loved it. Would highly recommend anyone and everyone to read this no matter your age!

Thanks to NetGalley & Edelweiss for the ARCs!

[Nadia Brouk · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really loved Looking Up. It’s funny and quirky , but also really touching and honest about loss and finding hope again. The narrator’s awkwardness makes her so easy to relate to, and the story does a wonderful job of mixing humor with heartfelt moments. It’s a sweet and unforgettable read.

[Sadie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book with my daughter - it was quirky but lacking a lot of the power I think the author was trying to share in their storytelling!

[Sammie · Rating 4 out of 5]

You can read my full review on my blog, The Bookwyrm's Den, here.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Overall

I am a sucker for middle grade books featuring quirky characters, especially female characters. As someone who was previously a quirky middle grader, I always jump on the opportunity to read about kids just being themselves. In all its glorious, unique messiness. So I was definitely here for Looking Up and all the mushy, heartfelt goodness it promised.

Looking Up is a heartwarming middle grade book about a quirky girl (sometimes knight), loss, loneliness, and change . . . but also friendships, healing, and love.

This book walks a fine balance of funny, quirky, and heartwarming. The plot is a little all over the place, but it’s also fast-paced and fun. Never a dull moment when you’re trying to save the neighborhood and maybe your new neighbor-turned-friend. Looking Up is filled with fun and would be perfect for reluctant readers who want a plot that moves along at a nice pace but also has a little bit of depth to it.

My Thoughts

✿ It’s always refreshing to find middle grade books about characters who are content to just be themselves. Looking Up hits the nail on the head in that regard with Saint. Saint is 100% unabashedly herself. While it’s true that she’s not exactly like others (and not in the “not like other girls” sense), that’s perfectly fine by her, because she enjoys just being herself. Trust me, Saint has plenty of quirky habits that I could get behind. Like rescuing piñatas. Or being drawn to things with faces (like toy knights). Or sometimes passionately yelling at adults about stuff that totally makes sense in her head but probably makes less sense at it leaves her mouth. I really enjoyed seeing a character that was just herself, no questions asked. (Well . . . not by her, at least.)

✿ The narration style of this is light and fun, even as it touches on some pretty deep topics. I mean, if the description of Saint above doesn’t give you any hints, she is quite the character. Prone to large ideas and even larger outbursts. Her dramatic scale goes up to a cool 19.2305. Still, there is something innately relatable in the way she quibbles with her mother, invents fantastic adventures, and is afraid of change and what it might mean. When her favorite toy store goes out of business, and with the threat of rising prices meaning people may be forced to move, Saint decides she needs to save the day. Which is a pretty honorable decision. However, Saint goes about it a little . . . unexpectedly. I don’t want to say too much, but I’ll leave it at the fact that part of the charm of this story is following the wonky, almost out-of-touch brain of a child that is sweetly naive, entirely misinformed, but also perfectly well intentioned.

✿ Saint isn’t alone in her adventure to protect her town after she meets the boy next door (who is decidedly less excited to meet her than she is to meet him). To be fair, Saint doesn’t always make a great first impression, and Daniel kind of has his own things going on. I think it would be fair to say that they didn’t quite become friends so much as friendship was forced upon Daniel. But as I said, Saint has a sort of undeniable, irresistible charm (even while she’s being frustrating). When they learn that Daniel’s house may be sold, it just adds injury to insult on top of the toy store. It’s simply one change too many. Together, they vow to save their neighborhood. Despite the fact that their alliance may have been slightly one-sided (Saint is definitely more extroverted and passionate than Daniel), the pair form a genuine, heartwarming relationship. One that, unfortunately, may be threatened by all the new things happening in town.

✿ Make no mistake: even though this book is lighthearted and funny, it does at times give the reader a bad case of the feels. Usually in moments they’re least expecting it. Or that was the case for me, anyway. While this book isn’t exactly racking up plot twists, there are a few that are sure to take you by surprise. Pastis does an amazing job of these brief, poignant scenes—sometimes even one-liners—that strike right to the heart of an emotion that we’ve all experienced at some point, whether that be loneliness, loss, fear of change, or any other common human emotion.

[Doreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh nooooo, this book gutted me at a time when I am already feeling down, ow, not okay! The biggest bummer is that I can't tell you why because that would give away the tremendous plot, and frankly everyone of any age deserves to experience that for themselves.

So here's the story I can tell you. Saint is a lonely young girl who doesn't have a lot of friends because she is, objectively, an oddball. She's that kid at parties who rescues pinatas and refuses to pin a tail on a donkey, no matter how fake, and won't slice into a cake with a gnome on it because she protects everything with a face. She collects toy knights and has a life partner in the form of a painted turtle. Her relationship with her mother is contentious because, according to her, Mom never keeps promises. She's really hoping, tho, that Mom will actually honor one to take her to her favorite toy store in a week.

But when that toy store is sold and demolished before Saint gets a chance to go again, her disappointment turns into action. She's tired of all these gentrifiers coming into her town and buying up properties and getting rid of all the stores and people she knows and loves, and darned if she isn't going to do something about it! With the help of the round-faced boy across the street, Daniel "Chance" McGibbons, she embarks on a plan to drive away change and save what's left of her hometown.

When the biggest plot twist (of several) was revealed, y'all, it felt like I'd been hit in the chest with a brick. I ached for Saint in a way I can't remember feeling for any protagonist of an (ostensibly) kid's book. And while this novel is slow-going at first, the momentum builds till you're breathless and ready to cling only to the wisdom that weird old Mrs Trifaldi tells young Saint about living in the past.

In many ways, Looking Up reminds me of Diana Wynne Jones' Time Of The Ghost, one of my all-time favorite books. The plots share few similarities, but the themes are surprisingly mature, with the concept of expectations of the future a strong theme. So while this is ostensibly a book aimed at children, it might not land with that age group upon a first read, as TotG didn't for me. Kids (and adults) who've been through the same stuff as Saint tho will feel this story hard.

Stephan Pastis is more well-known for his acerbic syndicated comic Pearls Before Swine. Looking Up is a departure, but one that is tender, moving and worthwhile. I'm only sad I didn't finish it in time to go see him when he swung through town on his book tour.

Looking Up by Stephan Pastis was published October 10 2023 by Aladdin and is available from all good booksellers, including Bookshop!

This review first appeared at TheFrumiousConsortium.net.

[Shaynning - Libraire Jeunesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incontournable Mai 2024


Mention Olibrius Roman Inter 2024*


Quel jolie pépite atypique que ce tome unique pétillant et pleins d'humour, dans lequel Bulle à elle seule rend une histoire toute simple si rafraichissante et entraînante. Dès les premières pages, on sent que la vision du personnage sur le monde est particulière et c'est pratiquement impossible de deviner vers quelle nouvelle réflexion ou idée va tendre Bulle.


Bulle est une jeune fille qui vit avec sa mère et depuis quelques temps, les choses autour d'elle tendent à changer. Or, Bulle déteste le changement et apprécie la routine. Elle cultive un intérêt féroce pour les pignatas, qu'elle sauve des battes en bois lors des anniversaires, s'invente des morts par hygiène douteuse pour ses figurine de dragons et adhère au crédo des chevaliers de contes de fée. Pas banale notre héroïne! Donc, non seulement craint-elle la fermeture de son magasin de jouets adoré, celle du restaurant miteux lui aussi tenu par un drôle d’hurluberlu, mais en plus, le garçon au visage rond qui a ravi son cœur voit sa maison mis en vente. S'en est trop! Bien décidé à sauver au moins la maison de Daniel, son damoiseau en détresse, Bulle entre dans la peau de la chevalière qu'elle souhaite incarner et entre en guerre contre les agents immobiliers, qui vendent si aisément les terrains à toute une ribambelle de hipsters amateurs de café. Parmi ces agents, se trouve sa propre maman.


J'ai adoré le personnage de Bulle, qui malgré ses très piètres habiletés sociales, possède une indéniable créativité hors-norme. Elle est plus que maladroite socialement, elle est parfois inadéquate ou alors à côté de la traque, je ne calcule plus les commentaires et questions qu'elle a adressés aux autres personnages et qui sont délicieusement cocasses ou hors sujet. Même dans les illustrations, vous la verrez faire des choses étonnantes, porter de drôles de costumes ou vous adresser des réponses avec des panneaux. Elle a pour acolyte une tortue philosophe parfois incompréhensible, une maman qui est souvent absente pour le travail et globalement, préfère le confort sécuritaire du prévisible et du routinier à l'aventure, mais puisqu'il le faut, autant le faire avec panache!


Ce roman est l'un des rares romans où je ne voulais surtout pas sauter une ligne de peur de rater une blague ou un constat loufoque. La petite chevalière souhaite sauver son voisin au visage lunaire, Daniel, adorable petit artiste en herbe tout aussi largué niveau socialisation et se déplaçant avec une canne ( il est mignon tout pleins ce personnage!). Et aussi ce monsieur qui crache des pépins dans un seau et sert de gardien à la Grange de jouets, mais qui connait le jouet qu'a besoin chaque enfant, après lui avoir fait déclarer sur un petit papier qu'il a bien fait ses devoirs. Et pourquoi pas le gars du fast-food du coin, le Bourdon grognon, qui ne permet pas à ses clients de mobiliser une table au-delà du temps requis pour manger? La réalité est qu'une bande de hipsters amateurs de café chers veulent acheter des propriétés et bâtir plus de cafés ( ça c'est de l'avis de la petite demoiselle et de son acariâtre voisine madame Trifaldi, qui mange des Babybel sur son toit. Seulement, Bulle tente surtout de gérer quelque chose dont on ignore la teneur pratiquement jusqu'à la fin.


Attention, il y aura des divulgâches.


Moult péripéties rocambolesques et invraisemblables plus tard, toujours avec le même humour pince-sans rire et pléthore de personnages décalés pour meubler le tout, nous arrivons vers le fond du problème, que je réitère, vous ne pouvez pas deviner. Tout ce temps à nous mener en bateau, convaincu de suivre une petite demoiselle originale dans ses aventures pour empêcher l'oncle de son voisin au visage rond de les faire déménager, voilà que Bulle fait la bêtise de trop. Sa mère réalise que sa fille n'est nulle autre que la chapardeuse de pancartes de vente de ces maisons dont elle a la responsabilité de vendre ( mais ça, on le sait depuis le début). Ce qu'on ne voit pas venir en réalité est la raison derrière ce comportement. Non ce n'est pas qu'une histoire de routine, non ce n'est pas le départ de Daniel et celui des commençant. C'est le départ de son papa, décédé dans un accident et dont la présence lui manque terriblement, et ce au point de s’inventer des quêtes, dont celle de Daniel. Il n'y a tout simplement jamais eu de Daniel, car il n'y a plus de maison devant celle de Bulle...depuis des années. Ceci est donc l'histoire d'une petite fille en deuil qui affronte la vie et la solitude en meublant son quotidien de son imaginaire fertile et qui aurait aimé pouvoir empêcher les changements dans sa vie. J'avais la larme à l’œil.


J'aimerais extrapoler encore sur les petits éclats d'humour qui parsèment le livre tels des pépites sur un gros biscuit moelleux. J'aimerais m'enthousiasmer encore des paragraphes durant sur les références nombreuses et l'atypie des personnages colorés et improbables. Il y a encore tant à dire aussi sur les réflexions tantôt profondes et matures de Bulle, du niveau de Mafalda, alors qu'à d'autres, on croirait suivre les pérégrinations d'une anti-héroïne, qui possède des codes de traitement complètements différents du reste de l'humanité. Sauf que je manque de temps.




Des romans comme celui-là, j'en voudrais tellement plus. C'est audacieux, drôle, déjanté et étonnamment sensible. Ça me rappelle le jour où j'ai découvert la Bd Football-Fantaisie, qui avait l'air d'une histoire comique au dessin d'enfant en apparence simpliste, avant de réaliser que c'était un univers d'une complexité et d'une richesse confondante, porteur à la fois d'Histoire, d'humanité et de philosophie. Le genre de livre qui entre dans notre tête comme une explosion de confettis et qui laisse un peu gaga à la fin, l'air de se dire "Mais sur quoi je suis tombé, moi-là?" et d'en redemander.


Et le tout est servi avec un graphisme qui me rappelle justement un peu Charlie Brown ou Mafalda, avec des accents de South Park ( le dessin, pas l'univers!). Des personnages inexpressifs quasi constamment, des costumes qu'on ne serait tout simplement pas attendu de voir, un trait simple, la coiffure de Bulle qui change de forme au gré des chapeau qui moule ses cheveux, etc. Les dessins sont en pages pleines, en séquences ou juste dans un coin de page.


Stephan Pastis m'offre mon premier Olibrius* de l'année 2024, merci à lui, une héroïne qu'on ne peut pas oublier ( et surtout pas copier) et une histoire dont la dégustation se fait en continue, phrases après phrases, juste qu'à nous captiver complètement. C'est le genre de roman qu'on savoure au complet, pas juste pour avoir la fin.


Ça va être un casse-tête à expliquer tout ça en librairie, mais je vais me casser quelques neurones à essayer, car il est clair que je vais en parler aux professeurs comme aux lecteurs et lectrices. Compte tenu du second degré très présent et des thèmes exploités, je le placerais en 3e cycle primaire, les 10-12 ans, mais les 8-9 ans qui se sentent à l'aise peuvent très bien s'y glisser.


*Un "Olibrius" est une appellation personnelle pour désigner les œuvres atypiques, originales et qui sont marquantes malgré un premier contact qui peut surprendre ou laisser septique. Les "ovnis" de la littérature jeunesse, si vous voulez.


Pour un lectorat intermédiaire du 3e cycle primaire, 10-12 ans+

Catégorisation : Roman fiction humoristique états-uniens, littérature jeunesse intermédiaire, 3e cycle 10-12 ans+
Note: 8/10

[Mark Buxton · Rating 4 out of 5]

What worked:
The best aspect of this book is the main character, Saint, as she shares her first-person quest with readers. She views herself as a knight, bravely defending the defenseless and protecting anything with a round face. She dons cardboard armor and helmet to face fiends, to meet “Daniels in Distress”, and to rescue pinatas from senseless beatings. Saint often begins sentences with something like “I probably shouldn’t have said this but…” causing readers to anticipate how she’ll finish her thoughts. With advice from her painted turtle life coach, Dr. Rutherford B. Hayes, Saint sets off to save the old parts of town from a modern takeover.
The surface-level conflict is Saint’s quest to save the town from a modern takeover, although there’s a simmering problem underneath that’s not clearly revealed until the story reaches its climax. She’s tremendously upset when her favorite burger place is sold and torn down almost overnight. An old woman sells her house which is promptly leveled for something new to be built. Saint is forced to take drastic measures when the house across the street is put up for sale. Daniel is a reluctant friend but Saint’s honor as a knight forces her to come to his rescue. The underlying issue will explain everything.
The story is full of colorful characters and language. The owner of the burger place doesn’t take special orders and he forces customers to leave when they’re finished eating. Saint still loves the place. The owner of her favorite toy store is an eighty-six-year-old curmudgeon named Muffin who always asks, “Homework finito?” before he’ll take kids’ orders. He’s able to find toys to match customers’ souls and sends them home saying, “Don’t slam the darn door, dingo.” Dr. Rutherford B. Hayes is insulted by his first name of Rock and he rightfully gets perturbed when Saint drops him from the roof.
What didn’t work as well:
The book seems like realistic fiction but there are elements that are fantasy, like a turtle that talks. Readers may be confused about what genre the book fits into but rest assured it will all make sense in the end.
The Final Verdict:
The story has some inconsistencies that make it hard to follow, as mentioned above. The climax reveals what’s actually happening although the series of events in the plot may still be unclear. Overall, I especially adore Saint’s character and recommend you give this book a shot.

[Tony Laplume · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stephan Pastis, cartoonist of Pearls Before Swine, has been dabbling in books for a number of years now. He’s got the Timmy Failure books under his belt (I’ve read one), plus the Trubble Town series, and now Looking Up, which is probably his best to date.

Pearls arrived just after the comics boom ended, when Snoopy and Garfield lost the battle for further cultural significance in part to Bill Watterson’s insistence at the purity of the form. Pastis is no great artist, but he proved himself immediately to be a master at witty banter. As a former lawyer, gab was his business. The results have often been accused of being in poor taste, crude well beyond the art, but occasionally suffused with a surprising amount of heart and insight. This was what he brought to Trubble Town, a sort of extended version of some of the Sunday strips from Pearls. With Timmy Failure he sought the Diary of a Wimpy Kid audience.

With Looking Up he tackles a complete story.

In his patented free range style, Pastis tells the story of a girl named Saint, as she struggles over a world that’s too big for her, where nothing makes any sense, so she lunges desperately at anything that does, no matter how nonsensical it might seem. This includes a collection of acquaintances that culminates in a boy who eventually opens up to her about similar misgivings, and then a conversation with an old lady who’s fought the same battles over the years, and the solution, and insight, Saint has needed to hear, leading to a reconciliation with her mom, what the real problem was all along, and…

There’s not a real ending. Saint moves on. She finds peace. There’s no magical solution to all her problems. One of her old acquaintances lands a new job. You might have thought the book would turn out to be a metaphor about how the world tends to repackage hometowns into foreign landscapes, the mom ‘n’ pop taken over by Walmart, gentrification, the yuppying of America…Pastis nudges past that. He keeps it at a personal scale.

The thing about Pastis is that he’s kind of the perfect Californian. He gets it. He sees the insanity of the world but he doesn’t run screaming away. (Rat does, but Rat’s not in this story.) His characters always find a way forward. Their lives continue.

Looking Up is this philosophy in a nutshell. He’s a voice that needs to be heard. This is the best way he’s told it so far.

[Shan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect, magical middle grade book.

I bought it by accident and am very glad I did. I'm a big fan of Pearls Before Swine, Stephan Pastis's newspaper comic strip, so when I saw in the strip that he was going to be at my favorite local bookstore I went to see him. (He's a great speaker, BTW; if you get a chance, don't miss him.) It was a buy-a-book-get-a-ticket thing and they had his latest books behind the counter: a Pearls compilation, Pearls Seeks Enlightenment: A Pearls Before Swine Treasury, and this one. If I'd been choosing myself, I'd have taken the compilation, but when I asked for Pastis's book, this was what the bookseller handed me. Hooray for happy accidents.

Saint is an odd little girl who passionately does not want things to change. She has cardboard armor and collects knight and dragon figurines, she's advised by an articulate and erudite turtle named Dr. Rutherford B. Hayes, and she protects anything with a face - piñatas, birthday cake decorations, the pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey donkey. Her favorite places are in danger of being torn down to build new things where fancy people will live and buy their lattes. She enlists the even odder little boy across the street, Daniel with his round face and cane, to help her make the changes stop. Along the way she's advised by an old lady, Mrs. Trifaldi, who may or may not be dead (she's sometimes seen on her roof, something a ghost would do), she fights with her mother who's always working and can't be relied on to keep her promises even when she swears on the head of the piñata, and she goes to her favorite toy store, Punch's, and her favorite hamburger stand, The Beefy Bee.

It's all surreal and delightful and funny and sad. In his talk, Pastis said it was the book that's closest to his own heart, and there's a lot of heart in it. There are also lots of drawings that make it all come to life. I especially like the ones with Saint in her winged skull mask, which she uses to hide her identity when she's giving potential buyers fake warnings to keep them from buying Daniel's uncle's house (it's a nuclear test site! it's on an ancient graveyard!).

[Paige V · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my little sis, Laly (11):

There was a girl named Saint who had an unusual trait. She could not harm anything that had a face on it. She loved knights and old things and was fond of saving birthday party piñatas. One day, at a birthday party, she met a boy named Daniel, who had a remarkably round face and loved to draw. Unfortunately, Daniel was soon to move away because some wealthy people, whom Saint referred to as "latte-sippers," wanted to modernize the town. These people had already destroyed Saint's favorite toy shop to make way for a new coffee shop. Saint did not like all the changes around her, so she decided to be brave, like a knight, and confront the "latte-sippers" head-on.

The book I read was a funny, fast-paced, and very moving story. I particularly enjoyed reading about Saint's hair, which could take on many shapes. For instance, her hair looked like a box when she wore her cardboard knight helmet! This was quite amusing. While I appreciated Daniel's character, he was too introverted for my liking. Despite Saint's efforts to get him to open up, he remained guarded.

One of the things I loved most about this book was how it portrayed the typical behavior of children, such as being a spoiled brat and only caring about toys. However, I found the ending to be confusing.

The illustrations throughout the book were also very well done. I enjoyed how the people in the pictures had tiny eyes and mouths close together while their faces were giant! It was pretty comical.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a quirky, comforting, fast-paced read.

Happy Reading, Laly ❤️ 📚

Thank you to the publisher for sharing this great book with me!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Impulse based on the cover. Wow. So glad I didn't read any spoilers here first. It's got an intergenerational friendship, a kids v. the developers, and a several other themes. And it's so honest about how Saint copes with her mom working so many hours. It's also got some implausibilities, but they pale compared to the heart truths.

And the humor!
"The apple fell so far from the tree it rolled to the other side of the world and somehow became an orange."
"Life is filled with What-If Dragons. I'm here to slay them."

And it's ok that we don't know what Saint imagined, what was real, whether she's going to be happier now.... Life doesn't tidily end at the end of the story....

I do recommend doing what I did, which is read it again immediately after the first time. It's short, and, yeah, full of spoilerable stuff that you'll want to understand better after you turn the last page.

[Julie - One Book More · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a heartwarming and touching book! The story follows Saint, who is facing a lot of changes in her life. From a town being torn down to make room for new homes and businesses, to a mom who works long hours leaving Saint alone, to making a new friend in the neighbor across the street who helps Saint try to save their town, the story is touching with the perfect amount of humor sprinkled in. I love the strong voice and illustrations throughout the book as well as the characters.

The story has great messages and themes, and that ending! It was surprising and emotional and just perfect. My middle schooler is in the middle of the book now, and she’s loving it too! Special thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

[Briann · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a really fun book! A riot for little kids! I was going to give it 4 stars, but the ending seemed a bit abstract and confusing for little kids. I’m not sure kids would get or be able to understand that Saint lost her dad and made Daniel up the entire book. Also, kind of an extreme delusion to make Daniel up and have a crush on him. Furthermore, I did not appreciate Saint’s mom Karen arguing with Saint and saying that Saint should appreciate her (Karen) and thank her (Karen) for providing for her (Saint). These are the basic obligations of a parent. For a parent to try and guilt their young child into appreciating them or trying to guilt them into obedience (so they stop doing things the parent doesn’t like, like going around stealing “For Sale” signs) is wrong.

[Reading Adventures · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a new author for me and a different type of book than I have been used to. I really enjoyed it. This story is all aboutSaint and how she handles the ups and downs of life. When the town around her is being torn down for upscale living, she and her friend Chance know what they need to do to save what’s left of her home.
This was a heartwarming story and had just the right amount of humor to make the story flow. I really enjoyed following along with Saint and her thoughts on things. It definitely follows the thoughts of middle school children and how they see our world. I think you will love this little adventure. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

[Country Mama · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book about Saint and Daniel! The illustrations are wonderfully drawn, and this is such a great middle school recommended book! Saint and Daniel are such wonderfully written characters. I also have read the author's other work in the Timmy Failure series of books, which I am a huge fan of and so is my 13-year-old son.

This book has so much rolled into it and those illustrations are a key piece for all kids of any age to enjoy the book as they read. It reminds me of a really good graphic novel for kids or a great comic strip in a newspaper that I would read on Saturday mornings as a kid.

I highly recommend this book to kids ages 8 and up!

[Barbra · Rating 3 out of 5]

When the old neighborhood Saint loves is being torn down and replaced with upscale condos and shops, she takes matters into her own hands. Her only likely ally is Daniel, a lonely quiet boy who lives directly across the street from her. After his house goes up for sale she finds the courage to include him in her plans. Together they try to discourage new buyers and in turn find needed friendship. The quirkiness of the town and strange lives and the newfound bond between Saint and Daniel are cleverly illustrated along with their story. Readers will chuckle and cheer them on in this story of acceptance and change.

[Pam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Aladdin through Edelweiss+.
Pastis shares this story of Saint who is a rather eccentric and endearing young girl. She is delighted with knights and dragons and establishes herself as a champion for keeping things the same or going back in time. One of her latest quests involves her neighbor, Daniel. He is quiet and keeps to himself. Together, they set out to stop the changes from happening in their neighborhood. The ending is surprising and tender. I appreciate the serious undercurrents along with the humor.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a special book for a special sort of reader. Saint is a lonely girl who is frustrated by the endless stream of changes happening in her neighborhood. When she meets Daniel at his birthday party, after stealing his piñata, they strike up a friendship and a plan to help their neighborhood stay the same. Saint is a quirky protagonist, but readers will relate to her desire to have some stability amongst an ever changing world. The reveal towards the end of the book dampened my enjoyment slightly, but overall, this was a very touching and enjoyable read.

[Brie Masalunga · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book touched my heart a couple of times. It didnt give false optimism that is cliche with material which discuss change, but rather a simplistic outlook of reality. Neither good nor bad. I just wished their discussion on the concepts of the past, looking forward and change were shown throughout the book and not just at the end, and there were more insights. But this still gave a good, simple breakdown about change suitable for a young reader.

[Bookreaderljh · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a children's middle grade book though being written by Stephan Pastis the humor is slightly subversive. Saint is a young girl who rescues pinatas and fights change like her relation to the toy knights she collects fight dragons. She is joined by a new friend Daniel who lives across the street and together they try to find out why their town is changing including Daniel's house that is up for sale and the demolition of Saint's favorite toy store. This simple mystery and the funny ways Saint dreams up to keep her home and her family and her town the same for ever is interesting and Saint is a great character. At the end the reader finds out why Saint is alone in her quest but she also learns that "the past is present". Nice children's story with the requisite moral at the end. And it will appeal to childhood humor.

[Emily Masters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gotta be honest.... I judged this book by its cover. hard. I didn’t wanna read it, and I was prepared to hate it. what I found inside was a beautiful, heartbreaking story about gentrification, hope, fear, grief, loneliness, and change, and I enjoyed it very much. I think this will be an incredibly impactful read for third grade and up, with soft, cartoonish illustrations to move along even reluctant readers.

[Elizabeth Seals · Rating 3 out of 5]

Here are my knee-jerk thoughts on this book.

I like that it talks about how hard change is, especially when everything changes in the town you grew up in.
I liked the quirky humor, but I don't feel like children would understand all of the jokes.
The climax was lackluster, but the twist was jarring.
I definitely don't agree with the parenting style that Saint's mom uses.
Overall, I do like the life lessons that we were trying to teach about the past and change.

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 starsI think because I listened to this on audio, I didn’t like it as much. The narrator’s voice was very annoying. But I think the story was super sweet. The main character makes up people and friends because they do not want to be alone after losing their dad. I think this storyline feels much more for adults than kids. I think kids will have a hard time understanding the nuances in this book.