Disneylanders

by Kate Abbott

In DISNEYLANDERS, 14-year-old Casey Allison, on the brink of starting high school, struggles to find a new identity on her family’s annual summer vacation, but with the help of an outgoing boy she meets while waiting in line, she discovers that Disneyland is the one place where her overprotective parents let her have the freedom to grow up.

Genres: Young Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Childrens

184 pages, Paperback

First published April 10, 2013

About the author

Kate Abbott’s writing includes the young adult novel DISNEYLANDERS, published in 2013 by Orchard Hill Press; the memoir WALKING AFTER MIDNIGHT: INTO AND OUT OF POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; and various essays appearing on The Billfold, Role Reboot, and the Brain, Child blog. She earned her MFA in creative writing from UC Riverside—Palm Desert. Find her on Twitter @kate_abbott_, write to her at hellokateabbott@gmail.com, and sign up for her TinyLetter newsletter at tinyletter.com/kateabbott. Kate lives in Northern California with her husband, son, two tiny parrots, and a lot of fish.

Reviews

[Heather Scott Partington · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, fun Disneyland story! This middle-grade novel is geared toward ages 9-12 but both my daughter and I enjoyed reading it.

What my ten year old daughter liked about it:

She said that it felt like the author really knows about Disneyland, and did a really good job of making you feel like you are there. She also felt like the characters were believable and the story was interesting.

What I liked about it:

Lots of Disney trivia and detail. My family has been taking nearly-annual trips to the park since I was a kid, so there was so much here that was familiar. (Even Mom with her fanny pack and Dad with his trivia...) As a Disneyland geek I appreciated how I was appropriately placed in time--many of the characters' memories of the Disneyland of "yesteryear" are my own, and even several of the attractions/places in the park that are present in the time the story takes place are not there anymore, which is noted in the section on the chapter titles. Lots of Disney trivia and facts throughout the story. The two days in the park move well, like someone wrote them who actually goes to the parks and knows how long it would take to do these things. I enjoyed the insertion of all the little idiosyncrasies that make the park fun for those of us who love to go so often. Abbott knows her park, and it shows.

I also felt like the main character, Casey, rang true to age. Abbott manges to capture perfectly the angst of being thirteen and wanting to enjoy vacation with your parents at a "family" destination, yet also wanting to try to get your first taste of "safe" freedom to hang out with someone you choose. The conflict in this book comes from Casey wanting to be grown up but not really knowing how to do that. Disneyland provides for Casey (like it did for many of us) a safe place to take off for a few hours on her own for the first time. The book is age-appropriate and I felt comfortable having my daughter read it. I feel like there are healthy messages here about independence, growing up, and family.

I would recommend this book for any child between 9 and 12, particularly girls.

Full disclosure: Kate Abbott is a recent graduate of UCRPDMFA, where I am currently a student. But even if that were not the case, I would still dig this book, and I am sure my daughter would too.

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love all things Disney but have never been to Disneyland!?!?! I feel like I need to go there now. Just saying.

[Jenn G · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

It wasn't what I was expecting... I loved the setting, I'm a huge Disney fan so a book in Disneyland is always a good pick for me. This time however it wasn't ... It was just all too convenient and way too fast. I couldn't believe any of it.

[ضحى الحداد · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been looking for a book about a cute vacation in Disneyland and that was exactley it :))
This book is about Casey and her two days vacation with her family in Disneyland when she meets Bert and the adventure begins
It is a book about coming of age and being yourself .. it had a nice atmosphere but I didn't like the plot that much everything was moving super fast .. but it was a nice quick read

[Brett Jonas · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a magical read! I read this in preparation for my Disney World trip in a few days - I like to read something Disney related before I go to get me all hyped up, and thus definitely did the trick. The characters were well fleshed out - even the Bra-Strap girls. (I can totally relate to Casey's dislike of girls like that - I've had a few close encounters with some of them. lol) Bert was perfect, and Maggie was adorable. Who knows - maybe I'll find my own Bert while I'm in Disney! :)

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I wasn’t in the mood for a Dole Whip with a paper umbrella,” could this be the most offensive words in the history of Disney fiction? Okay, I jest, but they help show the tone of Disneylanders by Kate Abbott, the story of a girl who has problems big enough that even Dole Whip cannot solve them.

Disneylanders by Kate Abbott tells the story of Casey, a 13 year-old girl on vacation in Disneyland with her parents. Casey is going through a lot of changes in her life. She is getting ready to transition into high school, which in itself is scary. At the same time her best friend has become popular and has dumped her for more popular kids, and boys! And her body is changing, as evidenced by her constant thoughts about bras. Her parents seem completely oblivious to the fact that she is getting older and provide little to no sympathy to her problems. While vacationing at Disneyland, she meets Bert a 15 year-old boy who becomes her vacation companion, confident and her first boyfriend. The two spend as much time possible together in Disneyland as they attempt to better understand themselves and get to know their first real crushes.

Disneylanders is not the type of book that I would generally pick up for myself. The audience is much more teen and young adult female readers than middle-aged men who read Disney history and comic books. Still I did find myself getting enjoyment from the book and that it kept my attention. Casey’s parents are in many ways unlikeable, yet I found myself thinking about them and relating to them while I read the book. Much of this has to do with the fact that I see myself in their boat, and not just the one on it’s a small world, in a few years since I do not want the Between Tween to grow up. Someday, and someday soon my Disney trivia will no longer be as interesting. At least I do not sport socks and sandals. So despite the fact I felt like it was not intended for me to like them, I felt for them. And they are right; you need to let your parents know if you go swimming! So despite the fact that I did not relate closely to the main character, I did find much to ponder. And no, the Tween is not allowed to hang out with boys on our next Disneyland vacation.

Abbott does an excellent job of using the park as background for her story to take place in. The park is not the star, it is the scenery. But it is used really well and in such a way that it helped me enter the story more clearly than if it had been set somewhere I was not familiar with. Her description of the hard stop on it’s a small world has stuck with me because Abbott nailed it. I can feel that stop in my bones and her use of it helped me stay in the story. As Casey and Bert worked their way through queues, I could picture their locations. Abbott knows her Disneyland!

The book itself is well written and easy to follow. Abbott’s characters are ones that the reader can either easily relate to or feel for quickly. The story is romantic, yet safe and parents should have no concern with tween and teen readers choosing this title. I read the Kindle version of the book and it was excellently edited and I was never distracted by the format.

Disneylanders is a good summer reading choice. It will probably be most attractive to teens and young adults who like relationship centered stories. And for those who like those books and Disneyland, you really are likely to enjoy this. But I will warn you; the book is probably not the light fare some may hope for. Since many readers are going through, have gone through, or will be the parents of those going through the key life transitions described, you may find yourself considering how you want to succeed or how you could fail in those real life situations.



Review Copy Provided by Theme Park Press

[Redfox5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

After falling in love with Ridley Pearson's Kingdom Keepers series, I've been searching for some more good fiction set in the Disney Parks. I've been disappointed, finding both 'Disneyland Hostage' and 'Down and out in the Magic Kingdom' to be lacking in the Disney magic I love so much. Disneylanders has that magic. Kate Abbotts is obviously a Disney fan and her book is peppered with just the right amount of Disney trivia. Not to much to bore the casaul fan but enough to keep the Disney Geeks (ME!) happy.

Casey is our main character, she a preteen. Stuck in that akward stage where you still like your childhood things but have to start putting them away due to social pressures. She's just finished Middle school(primary school) and will be going to High School(secondary school) after her summer holidays. She's been ditched by her best friend, something I can completely relate to because this happened to me when I moved up a school. And her parents still think she's a child who needs to be looked after all the time. She wants to forget reality at Disneyland and enjoy her time there before she has to face "real life" again.

She bumps into Bert in a line for a ride and a friendship quickly forms. It then blossoms into a sweet love story. Unfortunately for Casey her parents are on her back and are not to keen on this young love. On the back of the book it says that "Bert has secrets". He doesn't really and this makes the book misleading. I kept expecting something sinster to be revealed about him. This is the only niggle I have with this book. The book is acutally about Casey learning about what it means to grow up.

Kate makes good use of the rich setting and although I've only ever been to Disney World, she really helps you picture Disneyland. And for everyone who has already been, it will being back all your wonderful memories.
This book is aimed at middle schoolers but I loved it and I'm 25. If you are a Disney fan then you can't miss out on reading this!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 out of 5 rating

I am a Disney fanatic. Big time. As in, I work there and got married there. So when the author contacted me so see if I wanted to review the book, I jumped at the chance. The only hesitation I had was that I don't like middle grade books. This one was portrayed as an upper-middle grade book, so I gave it a shot.

I do have to say that I don't think this is an upper middle grade book. I would feel perfectly fine with a fifth grader reading the book. And honestly, it was a little too young for me to completely go bonkers over it.

But I did absolutely LOVE all the Disney references. The author did her research! I loved that the chapter titles were sayings from around the park. And there were so many little nuances that I found myself mentally nodding and saying "yup. so true!"

This was a sweet book about first love and family dimensions. If you love Disney or love middle grade books, then I think you'd love this one!

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you have ever been 13, you will love this book. If you've ever experienced puppy love, you will love this book. If you remember how you felt being embarrassed by your parents and desperately wanting to pull away from them to assert your independence, you will love this book. If you've ever been dumped by a close friend, you will love this book. If you love Disneyland, you will love this book.

Kate Abbott does a splendid job of caputuring the voice of a 13-year-old girl and everything a summer trip with the parents entails. Reading this brought back all the feelings I remember having as a young teen trying to work out my social life along with how things were changing in me and dealing with my family.

Kudos to the author, and can't wait to read her next one.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abbott's coming of age novel is a quick, entertaining read. Her heroine, Casey, is imperfect and likeable, with an internal voice that rings true. We see Casey's struggles with the transitions from middle school to high school, from childhood to early adulthood, as they unfold during her family's annual Disneyland vacation. Big real life lessons coexist in a fantasy Disney setting (although Abbott's descriptions of Disneyland are no fantasy; her information is impeccable). This is a good read for the tween set, boy or girl, as they navigate their relationships with parents and with the other tweens/teens in their lives.

[Jen (Pop! Goes The Reader) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did you find this review helpful? Find more of my reviews at Pop! Goes The Reader!

“I concentrated only on the lyrics to ‘Grim Grinning Ghosts’ and looked for the next sign. Los Angeles was 175 miles away, and Anaheim wouldn’t be much farther. Even with my dad’s under-the-speed-limit driving, soon I’d be able to escape all my problems in Disneyland, my actual Happiest Place on Earth. I would feel like myself again there.”
“It would be better when I was in Disneyland. Everyone was happy in Disneyland. I just had to get there.”

Thirteen-year-old Acacia “Casey” Allison needs to get away. Away from the best friend who abandoned her, the parents who are smothering her, and perhaps most importantly of all, away from the prospect of her freshman year of high school, which she is set to begin a mere two months in the future. Desperately searching for a sense of familiarity and stability in the wake of all the recent changes in her life, there seems no better place to find this than on her family’s annual trip to Disneyland. But when her parent’s attention becomes too much to bear and they begin asking questions about everything she is desperate to leave behind, it seems as though not even the Happiest Place of Earth will be enough to distract from Casey’s troubles. All that changes, however, when a chance encounter while waiting in line to board a ride introduces Casey to Margaret and her elder brother, fifteen-year-old Robert (“Bert”, for short). Intrigued by the mysterious boy with the vintage Mickey Mouse watch and unwilling to say goodbye to the first opportunity she has had to forget, even momentarily, all she left behind at home and the seemingly impossible challenges she has yet to face, Casey screws up the courage and invites Bert to spend the day with her, never knowing that this is only the beginning of their journey together. Set against the magical backdrop of haunted mansions, runaway railroad cars and enchanted tiki rooms, the two slowly begin to open up to one another and share their innermost secrets and fears, consoled by their relative anonymity and the comforting nostalgia of their surroundings. As the two continue to grow closer, however, both Bert and Casey will be forced to face the unavoidable truths about their relationship, all while Casey attempts to avoid the attentions of the dreaded ‘Bra-Strap Girls’, navigates an increasingly strained relationship with her parents, and perhaps most importantly of all, struggles to redefine herself as she prepares to embark on an entirely new chapter in her life.

“Disneyland was a still life. It was always the same. It wouldn’t ditch me or look at me like I wasn’t good enough to hang out with.”

That’s it, I’m convinced: Kate Abbott is a magician. Or, at the very least, a really wonderful storyteller. Not only did Ms. Abbott’s debut novel delight and impress me with its evocative ability to magically conjure the spirit and genuine feeling associated with the parks themselves, it also saved me from a rather discouraging two-week reading slump from which I never thought I’d emerge. It isn’t often that I read middle grade fiction, primarily because I find I lack the ability to identify with the issues explored within the genre in the same way as I would with those in young adult or adult fiction. That said, as any self-respecting Disney enthusiast will tell you, I feel an obligation to read any and all publications on the subject and knew I had to read Kate Abbott’s Disneylanders the instant I first heard of it. Despite having purchased a copy soon after its publication, however, it wasn’t until my fellow Disney-obsessed blogger and friend, Estelle of Rather Be Reading, recommended it to me that I finally took the time to read it. I’m so thankful she did! Kate Abbott’s debut novel is a short, sweet, coming of age story that certainly packs a punch. Set in one of the happiest and most magical places on Earth, Disneylanders is the perfect choice for Disney aficionados of all ages.

“You can say that you’re scared, Case, you don’t have to make gumbo excuses.” Bert nudged me and grinned. He was teasing me. The jingly boardwalk music bounded around my ears. No way am I going to miss spending every second possible with Bert. Even if it means possibly throwing up on him. And then he’d feel bad for teasing me.”

Thirteen-year-old Acacia ‘Casey’ Allison is a girl whose life is in a state of transition. Having recently graduated from middle school, Casey is a mere two months away from entering high school. Nervous about this difficult transition, Casey is also left without the help and support of her best friend, Kiley, to guide her, after Kiley chose to cut ties with Casey in order to become more popular. Still stinging from her friend’s rejection, Casey is eager to keep the truth about the demise of their friendship from her parents, who are increasingly curious about Kiley’s absence on their trip. Stifled by her parent’s well-meaning but often overbearing behaviour and embarrassed by her father’s seemingly endless Disney trivia and her mother’s tendency to treat her like a child, Casey is trapped in the familiar and awkward transitional period in our lives when one yearns for more freedom and independence from their parents but lacks any real means of achieving it. For better or worse, Abbott perfectly captures the voice of a fourteen-year-old girl, and as trying as Casey’s behaviour could often be, I can’t fault the author for realism. Casey is awkward, unsure, and undeniably real. She refuses to confide in her parents despite the wisdom their age and experience might be able to provide her, and as feasible as this was given Casey’s age, I couldn’t help but grow increasingly frustrated by the lack of communication between them. It’s clear that her parents are doing the best they can, and are confused and concerned about the sudden change in their daughter’s attitude. Perhaps because of my own age, I found myself sympathizing more with Casey’s parents, and less with the protagonist herself. Her behaviour often bordered on rude, selfish and inconsiderate, and this prevented me from ever truly forming an attachment to her. As irritating as Casey could be, however, there were a number of things I appreciated about her character, not the least of which was her passion for photography. I’ve always valued a protagonist who exhibits a passion for an outside interest or hobby, and Casey’s was one that was particularly close to my heart. As someone who is also interested in the art of photography, I liked hearing about how Casey chose to capture each moment at Disneyland, using various effects and filters depending upon the moment or subject in question. This added an additional dimension to her character that allowed me to care more deeply about her, even when I struggled to condone her frustrating or otherwise objectionable behaviour.

“I couldn’t make him understand how afraid I was that I would lose him, and who I was when I was with him, after we left. When I went home again – without Bert around – wouldn’t I be the same pathetic, friendless girl I was a couple of days ago?”

As I briefly mentioned above, I did encounter a number of issues with Casey’s character, most notable of which was her antipathy toward other girls. While I rationalized this as stemming primarily from her best friend, Kiley’s, rejection, as well as a general feeling of intimidation and fear, I would have preferred a more positive, or at the very least a more balanced, rendition of Casey’s experience with other women in this story. In fact, I can’t recall a single incident over the course of the novel in which Casey had a positive interaction with another female character, apart from Bert’s younger sister Margaret, who is not a threat to Bert’s affections and is therefore portrayed as harmless and adorable. The primary antagonists in this story, apart from Casey’s own parents, are a group of high-school-age girls Casey dubs the ‘Bra-Strap Girls’. Casey’s immediate dislike of these girls simply because of the way they dress and their demonstrative affection for the boys in their group seemed petty and childish and did little to endear me to her character. In Disneylanders, women are presented as nothing more than romantic rivals, two of the girls in the aforementioned group being so brazen as to proposition Bert right in front of Casey. Given the age group and impressionable minds at which this novel is aimed, I desperately wish Abbott had provided a more balanced account or at least one positive example of female friendship to counteract the misogyny that often underscored the text. While I have little doubt that older readers will be able to understand the impetus behind Casey’s feelings based on her prior experiences, I worry that some of the more subtle nuances will be lost on the middle grade readers at which this novel is aimed and will therefore be taken purely at face value. All that said, I have no doubt that many readers will be able to intimately identify with Casey’s feelings of alienation and uncertainty, even if they might struggle, as I did, to reconcile themselves to how these feelings manifested themselves in her behavior.

“I was sure his cheekbones would stand out in a photograph, and I wanted to grab my camera, but of course, I could not do that in front of this guy. I realized I could barely breathe in front of him. He was like a sculpture, handsome and athletic, but wearing a silly baseball cap. I wanted to hug him, I wanted to run away from him. I kept still.”

Aside from reminding me of the affable and nimble-footed chimney sweep who stole my heart and swept me off my feet in Disney’s beloved classic, Mary Poppins, fifteen-year-old Robert, or “Bert”, as he preferred to be called, was the type of boy any girl would be lucky to spend time with. Kind, considerate, patient, and a good listener, Bert also had the most important quality of all in a man: A love of Disney! In all seriousness though, I appreciated the fact that Bert was unapologetic and unembarrassed about his love of Disneyland and that he never took himself too seriously. I’ve always found a sense of humour attractive and Bert was a character I easily fell in love with. While I found the synopsis’ mention of Bert’s ‘secrets’ more than a little misleading as, Bert, like Casey, is also grappling with his own set of problems. Suffering from feelings of hurt, neglect and rejection based on his parent’s apparent lack of interest in his life, Bert yearns for what Casey so easily casts aside: A set of active, caring parents. In their absence, Bert struggles to recapture the magic of Disneyland for both himself and his little sister, but can’t help but dwell on the two people who were ‘too busy’ to join them. While I would have preferred a greater sense of closure in regard to this storyline as we’re given little indication as to how Bert intends to approach this situation in the future, his story is of secondary concern and therefore the failure to provide any real semblance of finality is not a make-or-break consideration as to one’s overall enjoyment of the novel. I will say that I did appreciate the dichotomy Abbott drew between Casey and Bert’s situations. Casey’s flagrant disregard for her parent’s feelings angers Bert because she takes what he so desperately wants for granted. This was a moving component to the story that I had not expected and greatly appreciated.


“Bert had the lights of his favourite place – and mine – shining on his face, but we both looked sad now. Maybe it was leaving the park, although I knew I’d be back the next day, but I thought that maybe it was knowing that some things can’t last, whether it was in a cheap, disposable, paper-covered camera or a digital camera or a camera phone or even in my borrow fancy Nikon. I didn’t know for sure what this feeling was between us, but I didn’t think my camera could figure it out, either.”

The setting. Oh, the setting! While I ordinarily don’t spend much time discussing the setting or world-building in the novels I read as it’s largely of little importance to me when compared to other considerations such as character development, I feel duty-bound to make an exception in this case. It’s Disneyland – How could I not!? While the writing itself is rather simplistic because of the age group at which this novel is geared, the setting alone is enough cause for me to recommend this novel to Disney enthusiasts of all ages. Abbott made good use of the various attractions as the inspiration for both plot and character development. She does this so well, in fact, that Disneyland becomes another living, breathing character in the story. Kate Abbott’s reconstruction of both Disneyland and California Adventure is spot on, barring a few anachronisms as the parks have continued to grow and change since the publication of this novel (i.e. I can’t remember the last time the McDonalds’ fry cart made an appearence in Disneyland). The author brings all the familiar sights, sounds, and smells to life in such a way that I found myself able to vividly recall my own personal memories of the parks. Transported to a world where it’s not unusual to take a Jungle Cruise one moment and a tour through a Haunted Mansion the next, Abbott’s descriptions of Disneyland are so rich and well rendered that they will enchant even those personally unfamiliar with the parks themselves. Abbott’s various references to points of interest throughout the park never felt shoehorned in and only served to remind me of my own wonderful memories and experiences. I had to laugh in regards to many of Casey’s reflections on the parks themselves – I can remember my own initial reservations about Disney’s California Adventure park because I disliked how it changed the Disney landscape I knew and loved. While a lot of Disney’s changes and upgrades over the years have been for the better, it’s often difficult not to become deeply invested in something that has grown right alongside you. One of the things I most appreciated about Disneylanders was the author’s inclusion of iconic Disney phrases from Disneyland attractions as chapter headings. It was a lot of fun to try and guess where each one originated, and Abbott was kind enough to provide a complete glossary at the conclusion of the novel outlining the history of each line.

“But even as I was convincing my parents of my very responsible plan, I wasn’t fooling myself. I turned a whole new shade of crimson as I realize the enormity of what I’d done: I’d asked a guy on my first date ever, and in front of my parents, too. There aren’t any magazine quizzes to help me handle this, I thought, as my parents traded cell phone numbers with Bert.”

While it’s rather difficult to accept that two parents would allow their thirteen-year-old daughter to tour the parks with a boy two years her senior who she has only just met, there’s nothing unrealistic or inauthentic about the depth of emotion or the import of the themes that Kate Abbott explores in this touching coming of age tale. Whether it was a discussion about body discomfort, puberty, dating, or parent-child relationships, Abbott explores it all with a realism and sensitivity which younger readers will be able to relate to and take comfort from. The transitional period from our early to late teens is a difficult time for many and one which is often marked by a seemingly overwhelming amount of insecurity and self-doubt. As Casey herself laments, it can often feel as though the rest of the world has been given a handbook as to how to behave while one is left to their own devices, stumbling around in the dark and following other people’s lead so as not to stick out or deviate from the norm. Disneyland provides Casey with the perfect opportunity to take her first steps toward adulthood and she struggles to redefine both herself and her relationship with her parents in a safe and familiar environment. As she does so, Casey also struggles to reconcile her advancing age with her love for something that is often associated, however incorrectly, with childhood. There’s a common misconception that Disney is ‘just for kids’ (an idea that Abbott directly addresses at one point in the novel), when in reality the beauty of Disneyland is that it allow visitors of all ages to recapture the sense of innocence and imagination that we often, sadly, lose sight of along the way.

“Bert’s eyes mirrored the sparkle of the boardwalk’s lights, the gold on his watch gleamed, and the glow beneath us illuminated his face. Far in the distance behind him, I could see the Matterhorn’s craggy top and the sleek peaks of Space Mountain, both a clean, bright white against the darkening sky.
It was all dazzling for a couple of seconds at 55 miles per hour. No, I’m definitely not going to let myself forget this, either, I vowed, as we careened up and down the last dips, grinning and screaming until our throats hurt.”

Don’t have the time or financial means to take a trip to Disneyland right now? No problem! In Disneylanders, Kate Abbott brings the sights, sounds, smells and magic of the park to life with an obvious passion and admiration that few will fail to appreciate. At only $3.98 for the Kindle edition, Abbott’s debut novel is a veritable steal and one I would highly recommend to any self-respecting Disney devotee. Even if the Middle Grade genre isn’t ordinarily your cup of tea, Disneylanders is the perfect choice if you’re looking for a fun, fast-paced, entertaining read that you can share with your children or enjoy on your own. Trust me when I tell you that it won’t be long before you’re donning Mickey ears and singing along to “Grim, Grinning Ghosts” right alongside Casey! While I had a difficult time growing to like the protagonist of the story, the inclusion of Bert and a sweet, gentle romance coupled with an extraordinary, larger-than-life setting that held a great deal of personal importance to me meant that this was an enjoyable, if not altogether perfect, read. Whether you’re twelve or twenty-five, Disneylanders is a universal coming of age story that will delight and enchant readers of all ages. It’s A Small World, after all!

[Ines Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eu escolhi este livro como o pertencente a categoria de livro que se passe num local onde já passaste férias, e como na altura não tinha encontrado ainda livros passados na Madeira, terra da maioria da minha família materna, e tendo há anos este livro na lista de livros que queria ler do Goodreads, resolvi fazer uma viagem no tempo e com a ajuda deste livro recordar as férias da Páscoa de 1986, quando através dum concurso do Clube Amigos Disney, e na companhia de Júlio Isidro e Manuela Leite, fui até Orlando, Flórida, EUA, até que eu chamo de verdadeira Disney ( nunca fui á de Paris, mas não posso deixar de sentir que a dos EUA é a original) e embora o livro não seja nada de especial, pois trata de dois adolescentes com a paixão pela Disneyland, se descobrem num primeiro amor, é uma leitura leve e agradável, que me fez rir bastante e relembrar algumas das atrações onde andei (spacemountain - estava quase a gritar de medo quando ela parou) , smallworld, e tentar descobrir as outras atrações das quais desconheço os nomes porque na altura nem falava nem lia em inglês, principalmente a que parecia um comboio que entrava numa mina com pedregulhos enormes que pareciam cair em cima de nós. Mas fez me rir e achei interessante a ideia de os títulos dos capítulos terem algo a ver com slogans ou frases das atrações e o leitor ter o trabalho de descobrir a que atração pertence cada título, no fim dá as soluções, mas fiquei um pouco triste por saber que uma das atrações que mais gostei - o submarino das vinte mil léguas submarinas- deve ter encerrado permanentemente, nunca voltei lá embora um dia o queira fazer, pois foi um desejo que eu nem sabia ainda ter e que este livro acordou. Quem sabe se um dia não irei com olhos de adulta que ao passar dos portões volte a ver o mundo como criança. Quem gosta da Disney talvez goste do livro ainda que a história não seja nada original

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a cute read! I love Disney so I instantly clicked with the book. I think that if I ever visited Disneyland California, id be able to connect to the story even more! Definitely a cute, fast, and light read/

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A cute story that takes place in Disneyland?...Uh a thousand times yes! If you love all things Disney related and adjacent, and cute, short romances with a decent ending, then pick this up. It's a good one!

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I umm’d and ahhh’d about my rating but I’ve ended with 3 stars. I didn’t feel like the description was accurate to the book as it made it seem like it was going to be a mystery novel which it wasn’t. I think I would’ve loved this book as a 13yr old, and I’d let a child of mine read this one day. The last two chapters were great and I loved seeing the introspection of Casey as the book went on, finding a lovely resolution in the end.

[Kristen Jett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review with formatting found at Pen and Muse

If you haven’t been to a Disney resort, they’re the happiest place(s) on Earth. I’m not even kidding. Disney is where you go to have that brief refuge of no concerns, no worries, and simply joy every single moment.
For Casey, Disney is the magical place you go to where bliss is always possible, no matter what is happening in her life.

It would be better when I was in Disneyland. Everyone was happy in Disneyland. I just had to get there.

She can forget her problems with her ex-BFF, her shifting world (and body!), and forget that her parents aren’t as hip as they’d like to think they are. Until she can’t.

See, her family has forgotten one little thing: that she’s getting older. She’s still treated like a child…which could be why her BFF said sayonara and skipped out on the annual vacation. This Disney trip, Casey can’t shake her feelings she had outside the gates, and has to decide whether the magic still exists or if she’s bittersweetly too old for Disney joy any longer. If you haven’t gotten the hint, this isn’t just the fluffy novel someone might expect from the title. Disneylanders is a fun yet poignant story of a girl finding herself, coming to terms with her own coming of age story, and discovering how that affects how she views the world. Has she been looking at life with rose colored glasses before, only to have them smashed in the happiest place on earth?

Character wise, I found Casey to be very realistic and likable. Bert is without a single doubt adorable. He has his own mysteries to unravel, including what life he’s running away from at Disney. The two of them both come to terms with important life questions. Is life about taking risks or staying on the easy path of what you know? Despite being a tad older than Casey, I could remember times in my life when I was looking for that safety net – and not being sure if it was changing, or if I was changing. I think some of the thought paths that Casey traveled are relatable to all ages – after all, we’re all looking for our right path and our magic bliss.

I loved that the chapter titles had significant importance to both the chapter as way as Disney – and spent way too much time trying to guess what each was. Fun. So fun. I’d pay attention to chapter titles more if this was a more common trait in novels.

If you love Disney, I think you’ll love the book. If you love charming coming of age stories, I think you’ll love the book.

And hey Casey (because I talk to book characters now), I cry at the fireworks too. Every single time.

[Audra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted to The Society's Bookshelf

As someone who became a massive fan of Disneyland a bit later in life, I knew I had to read this book as soon as I heard about it. Acacia, Casey for short, is on her annual summer vacation to Disneyland with a couple of big differences. This is her first Disneyland trip before high school. This is her first Disneyland trip without her former bff. This is also her first Disneyland trip where she meets a boy!

Overall this was a magical read that gave me everything I wanted and more. I used to live a mere 20 minutes from Disneyland and was an annual passholder. Getting to visit the parks weekly was an adventure. Now that I live over 1,000 miles from it, I treasure our yearly trips to the park dearly. And getting to read Disneylanders felt like getting to experience one of those trips all over again.

It was easy to get swept up in this book as it flooded back all of my wonderful memories of being at Disneyland. I can't imagine anything more magical than what happens to Casey. Her adventures on this particular trip to Disneyland was a bit of a life changer for her. She was able to grow up a bit, and get to live outside her parent's protective bubble.

There were a few things that were a bit irritating. I've said before that for some reason I get irritated when every book character has a nickname. For me, it doesn't really sound realistic. If the character spends 95% of the book going by Casey, why not just have her name be Casey? Also, as a bit of a Disney aficionado, the book was dated slightly due to changes that Disneyland has gone through. Of course this is bound to happen, but it's been years since the McDonalds fry cart has been there. Finally, as romantic a notion of meeting a boy at Disneyland and flitting about the parks with him on a family vacation, it didn't feel realistic. I can't see a mother letting her 13 year old go around unsupervised.

[Martha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

This is a book set in Disneyland so it immediately earned some points from me. It is a story about Casey, who is attending her usual holiday destination with her over-protective parents - but not with her ex best friend, Kiley. Kiley's been acting differently at school and suddenly seems far too grown-up to care about Casey anymore...

I enjoyed the underlying theme of growing up and holding onto your past that run throughout this book. And you're never too old for Disneyland, Casey, don't worry. :P Casey meets Robert (Bert) during her first day in Disneyland and they immediately hit it off. Their relationship was cute, though at times the conversation seemed stale. And what are the chances of EVERY ride breaking down when they went on them. Seriously, Disneyland needs to sort that out. :P

But now I reeeeally want to go to Disneyland!

[Estelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character might be 14 but I think DISNEYLANDERS is a great example of YA transcending age. If you ever went on a family trip with your family, or dealt with a best friend who outgrew you, you will find a lot to relate to in this book. Not to mention, fans of theme parks or people who are so connected to a place they have visited time and time again. Does the magic truly disappear as you grow up? Can you still hold on to it?

I have a lot of love for this book, especially after my second read-through. I know I would love to see a follow up with the main character a bit older and wiser.

For more, here's my review I posted on This Happy Place Blog.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirteen year old Casey struggles with her loving yet embarrassing parents as she experiences her first romantic involvement with Bert, who has parental issues of his own. Their short vacation in Casey's beloved Disneyland is the backdrop for their budding friendship which helps both of them navigate crucial road blocks in their growth into self awareness and young adulthood. Thanks heavens - no vampires, no paranormal. Just real people in real situations facing real challenges.

[Hadessephy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute coming of age novel taking place in a famous well known setting. I really enjoyed this,short novel about a young girl's first time hanging out with a guy going beyond friendship. While nothing ground breaking it was fun to see the main character experiencing some first life events. I wish more time was spent in California Adventure since that is one of my favorite parks out of all the Disney properties I have visited.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story aimed at young Middle school girls. The background of Disneyland only made the story more appealing, but I question the validity of parents who would willingly let their 14 year old daughter wander around the park all day with a boy she just met, but suspend belief and the characters are well developed and the angst of Middle school is real.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

How did I manage before this book? It was so adorably perfect and as a Disneyland lover this book felt alive. To be sure, the setting of Disneyland was a living character all its own.
If you like love stories, Disneyland, coming of age stories, or just good literature then this is the book for you!
I loved it and will so be reading it again!
Highly recommend.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offered me not only the details and story type I love but also insight into a teenagers mind. Extremely well written. Made me long for Disneyland.

[Stephanie]

NOTHING WILL STOP ME FROM READING THIS BOOK OMG

[Nici · Rating 3 out of 5]

It felt like a Disney movie O: Casey was too whiny though for my taste. If I was Bert I would have left the minute she started talking.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute, a fun, quick read that reminded me of family trips to Disneyland. Making me think I may need to make a return visit, been too long since I've been!

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am such a fan of Disneyland, that I just grit my teeth and persevered through most of this. I have worked pediatrics for decades and understand that 14 yr old girls are huge balls of emotional hormones that vacillate between sweet and happy one minute and miserable to be around and self-centered the next. Casey's mood swings, internal dialogue and BS that she pulled on not only her parents, but new love interest, Bert, gave me whiplash. She wonders why she has no friends?? She isn't likeable and adult me would have loved to have stooped to her level and told her so (I'm not proud). No wonder why her BFF suddenly "broke up with her." I think I like the BFF better. Nothing but Casey's love and observations of Disneyland was likeable and worth staying and skimming for those parts. There is no way in hell a 15 yr old boy (who isn't sleeping with her) would tolerate her spoiled brat, pouty one minute, happy and spewing Disney facts the next minute ways. The relationship was too new to be willing to hang out with Rosemary's baby and her internal dramas. Not only did she change the rules for her parents vacation plans but she didn't think about Bert's Grandma and sister maybe wanting to spend more time with Bert on their family vacation, because again, she is self-centered and 14. Yeah, some sort of light bulb regarding her parents happened in a page at the end, but she is so damn wishy washy, that had the story continued for one more page, she would have been back to being a big pouting baby on the ride home in the back seat of her parents car. Side note...I live 40 min from Disneyland and had annual passes for years and I haven't experienced as many ride breakdowns as they did in their brief time there. Not sure how so many ride breakdowns helped the story as it seemed excessive to the point of annoyance for the reader. If the author needed more time for them to be together, standing in a typical 45 min ride line would've seemed like a more likely and expected scenario. I used to ask my teenage patients for recommendations on books because it gave me something to talk about with them and I have enjoyed many of their recommendations. This one, however, would be an interesting book club conversation with them as I would be interested to hear their take on Casey and I'm sure their jaws would drop when they heard my non-censored opinion.

[✨silver.✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars
Just some things this book makes me want to do:
- go to Disneyland
- hug my parents
- befriend random grandmas
- meet a sweet guy who doesn't think I'm childish it's childish to love Disney and rides.
No but seriously, I'm feeling very nostalgic right now. Maybe it's the early 00s setting, maybe the fact that I'm not 14 anymore. And I wasn't even sure that I'd have enjoyed the story since it's a MG book masquerading as YA (or vice versa).
But here comes the surprise. I honestly can't believe that, while reading about parents and families in the last chapters, I suddenly got emotional. Me. Almost teary-eyed. (Sorry, everytime it happens I'm surprised.)
Other thoughts:
- let's be friends, Casey
- Bert is so cool and probably better than average 15-year-olds
- Mary Poppins! Yes, it's my favorite too
- I demand a sequel! I really wanna know what happens to Casey, Bert and their families.

[Faye · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a super cute little read. This is the kind of book that I would have absolutely loved when I was 13-14. What an ideal setting for a budding romance. I wish I could claim Disneyland as the setting for my first romantic experiences. What I didn't love, and don't about most novels written for young girls is the cycle of self-consciousness they all seem to get trapped in. The main character does overcome this in the end but I think it would be helpful if her journey to self understanding was a bit more transparent.