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The Garden Just Beyond
For fourteen-year-old Maggie Gartner, nothing is more magical than family dinner. She’s not unique in that—anyone lucky enough to purchase a meal ticket at the Gartner’s estate in the New Jersey Pine Barrens claims the food changed their life. That’s a given when you harvest crops that purposefully alter emotions. Add in the sparkling company of an eccentric family who has hidden a centuries-old agricultural secret and you’re guaranteed a rollicking night.
Except.. Maggie’s different. She’s not great at conversation. Or… human interactions. That’s all going to change when Maggie cooks her first dinner and proves she’s just as Gartner as everyone else. But in the shadow of her growth, a mysterious stranger moves to Humble Hollow, buying up land and overtaking Humble Hollow’s biggest holiday—Factory Day. The stranger’s nefarious dealings put the Gartners at risk of losing much more than their business. With the help of new kid, Graham, as well as trusty townsfolk and family folklore, Maggie must dig deep to see what others can’t, especially those truths that feel just beyond her reach.
Except.. Maggie’s different. She’s not great at conversation. Or… human interactions. That’s all going to change when Maggie cooks her first dinner and proves she’s just as Gartner as everyone else. But in the shadow of her growth, a mysterious stranger moves to Humble Hollow, buying up land and overtaking Humble Hollow’s biggest holiday—Factory Day. The stranger’s nefarious dealings put the Gartners at risk of losing much more than their business. With the help of new kid, Graham, as well as trusty townsfolk and family folklore, Maggie must dig deep to see what others can’t, especially those truths that feel just beyond her reach.
320 pages, Hardcover
Published May 20, 2025
6 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Lindsey Leavitt
21 books834 followersLindsey Leavitt is a Leo sun/Sagittarius rising, which makes her skilled at traveling, studying and sleeping in. She grew up in Las Vegas and now lives in the snowy mountains with her big, blended family. She is the author of over fifteen books for kids and teens. Lindsey had an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts. Visit her online at https://lindseyleavitt.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 11, 2025
✰ 3 stars ✰
The opening scene itself is one that hits you hard enough to give you whiplash at how the numerous characters are bouncing off one another in a dinner that is both pivotal to setting the stage, as well giving you as much breakdown into the history and introduction of what exactly the story is going to be about. A map and family tree is provided beforehand, but I was still very much -- not at a loss -- just blindsided at how the fantasy element of the plot was being introduced. 😵💫
Flash forward, and I sort of start to sense that perhaps, there may be one too many plot lines of Facts, Fruit, and Fuzz being unraveled that undoubtedly may converge at one point, but ultimately keeps me --- not lost - just hard to keep up and appreciate the finer points of what exactly is happening. Like, there was a lot going on - some even interactions felt absurdly unnecessary at times, that I was struggling to maintain focus or even interest. 😩 However, I did laugh at some of the dry humor. 🙃 There was a subtlety of a pinch of this and a spot of that to the timing of it that was a nice balance to the descriptions of the menu's rich tastes, the sensory details of both emotions and the garden that should not be spoken of. 👍🏻
“I have a headache.” Corny rubbed his temples. “And I still have an entire afternoon of humility ahead of me.”
At times, I certainly shared that sentiment. 😩 The cast was not charming or witty, but rather carried a whimsical, frenetic energy that has you stumbling forth alongside fourteen-year-old Maggie (short for Magnolia) Gartner's familial plights or her own daunting personal tasks that has her distraught over the outcome of her future prospects. 🍊 Forever caught in living in the shadow of her exceedingly talented family, whose source of consistent communication only existed only through food, and had their own brand of chaos that is neither here nor there in the mindset, because we just get brief excerpts of their personalities before they're escorted off-screen. 😮💨
Maggie and Graham's friendship was an enjoyable one, perhaps the only sane two amidst a gaggle of eccentric characters, and a relationship I was wholeheartedly backing in terms of their banter, and their shared interests in preserving the integrity of the garden. 🗝️ Graham was a cool kid; it's a shame what he learned about himself, but I liked how the author built upon that surprise. I found myself comparing it to Holes at numerous times; which considering it's one of my favorite books should have been a good thing, but Maggie's family was so insincere and, well, annoying, that I couldn't bring myself to care for them. 🤷🏻♀️
“So … the garden connects me to myself. It connects me to ghosts. But you walk in and out of there all on your own.”
I do think the idea of The Garden Just Beyond was an interesting and unique one -a magical garden whose fruit has the power to control a person’s heart and soul - an ability that yielded unfortunate if not disastrous consequences in the past. 🥺 However, as much as the past influenced the present played a significant role in the magic of the garden, I was not a fan of how the flashbacks were written; dialogue in diary entries is just a big no-no of disbelief, and I know you can't transport in time, but it could have been done differently. The horticulture secrets that had been kept hidden for so long were revealed nicely, although I was not a fan of how lightly the wrongdoings were being treated. 🙂↔️🙂↔️
Yes, I know it is in the past and the future is the chance to change who they would become, but considering how it only played out amidst a select few, I was not able to take it seriously or appreciate the levity of it. It felt insincere, in my opinion. 😕 Also, neither GR or Edelweiss' tags mentioned Romance, but the actions of love play a big part in the challenges Maggie and Graham faced; thankfully, though, they remained steadfast friends -- for now. 😊 Still, I do think it was a creative idea, one that even though I did not quite entirely share the feelings of shock, delight, euphoria, awe, and transcendence, which a Gartner meal promises to deliver, it still had a level of enchantment that rang heartfelt and true with me.
“But this is how family and love and life goes. You don’t get to pick and choose the trials of mortality and—”
The opening scene itself is one that hits you hard enough to give you whiplash at how the numerous characters are bouncing off one another in a dinner that is both pivotal to setting the stage, as well giving you as much breakdown into the history and introduction of what exactly the story is going to be about. A map and family tree is provided beforehand, but I was still very much -- not at a loss -- just blindsided at how the fantasy element of the plot was being introduced. 😵💫
Flash forward, and I sort of start to sense that perhaps, there may be one too many plot lines of Facts, Fruit, and Fuzz being unraveled that undoubtedly may converge at one point, but ultimately keeps me --- not lost - just hard to keep up and appreciate the finer points of what exactly is happening. Like, there was a lot going on - some even interactions felt absurdly unnecessary at times, that I was struggling to maintain focus or even interest. 😩 However, I did laugh at some of the dry humor. 🙃 There was a subtlety of a pinch of this and a spot of that to the timing of it that was a nice balance to the descriptions of the menu's rich tastes, the sensory details of both emotions and the garden that should not be spoken of. 👍🏻
“I have a headache.” Corny rubbed his temples. “And I still have an entire afternoon of humility ahead of me.”
At times, I certainly shared that sentiment. 😩 The cast was not charming or witty, but rather carried a whimsical, frenetic energy that has you stumbling forth alongside fourteen-year-old Maggie (short for Magnolia) Gartner's familial plights or her own daunting personal tasks that has her distraught over the outcome of her future prospects. 🍊 Forever caught in living in the shadow of her exceedingly talented family, whose source of consistent communication only existed only through food, and had their own brand of chaos that is neither here nor there in the mindset, because we just get brief excerpts of their personalities before they're escorted off-screen. 😮💨
Maggie and Graham's friendship was an enjoyable one, perhaps the only sane two amidst a gaggle of eccentric characters, and a relationship I was wholeheartedly backing in terms of their banter, and their shared interests in preserving the integrity of the garden. 🗝️ Graham was a cool kid; it's a shame what he learned about himself, but I liked how the author built upon that surprise. I found myself comparing it to Holes at numerous times; which considering it's one of my favorite books should have been a good thing, but Maggie's family was so insincere and, well, annoying, that I couldn't bring myself to care for them. 🤷🏻♀️
“So … the garden connects me to myself. It connects me to ghosts. But you walk in and out of there all on your own.”
I do think the idea of The Garden Just Beyond was an interesting and unique one -a magical garden whose fruit has the power to control a person’s heart and soul - an ability that yielded unfortunate if not disastrous consequences in the past. 🥺 However, as much as the past influenced the present played a significant role in the magic of the garden, I was not a fan of how the flashbacks were written; dialogue in diary entries is just a big no-no of disbelief, and I know you can't transport in time, but it could have been done differently. The horticulture secrets that had been kept hidden for so long were revealed nicely, although I was not a fan of how lightly the wrongdoings were being treated. 🙂↔️🙂↔️
Yes, I know it is in the past and the future is the chance to change who they would become, but considering how it only played out amidst a select few, I was not able to take it seriously or appreciate the levity of it. It felt insincere, in my opinion. 😕 Also, neither GR or Edelweiss' tags mentioned Romance, but the actions of love play a big part in the challenges Maggie and Graham faced; thankfully, though, they remained steadfast friends -- for now. 😊 Still, I do think it was a creative idea, one that even though I did not quite entirely share the feelings of shock, delight, euphoria, awe, and transcendence, which a Gartner meal promises to deliver, it still had a level of enchantment that rang heartfelt and true with me.
July 10, 2025
This was a struggle for me to get through. Renewed twice and finally just had to force myself to reach the end—though skimmed the last 20%. It’s packed with dialogue and irrelevant digressions, yet all the characters remained flat for me. I don’t like the complaint of a book being “slow,” but this certainly fits the description.
14 year old Maggie doesn’t know how she fits in to her extra special family and their magical garden. Journal entries from ancestors were also unconvincing both in writing style, content, and their very existence (not to mention my skepticism that 1 of 2,048 ninth-great grandparents could have that much impact on the present generation). The mythology and curse behind the magical garden didn’t really make sense to me.
I don’t recommend this one, but there’s nothing that would stop me from letting my kids read it.
14 year old Maggie doesn’t know how she fits in to her extra special family and their magical garden. Journal entries from ancestors were also unconvincing both in writing style, content, and their very existence (not to mention my skepticism that 1 of 2,048 ninth-great grandparents could have that much impact on the present generation). The mythology and curse behind the magical garden didn’t really make sense to me.
I don’t recommend this one, but there’s nothing that would stop me from letting my kids read it.
April 21, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
The Garden Just Beyond by Lindsey Leavitt is a third person-POV Middle Grade contemporary fantasy set in New Jersey. The Gartner family has a long history of bringing dinner guests to their home and serving them an elaborate dinner. When it’s Maggie’s turn to finally prepare her first dinner, she’s excited but also has to deal with secrets in the family long buried coming back.
As I read this, I was somewhat reminded of A Series of Unfortunate Events. There’s this off-beat, somewhat distant voice plus a plot that isn’t quite as straightforward, but everything that is happening on the page is showing the audience things instead of telling them. For instance, instead of saying outright that Maggie feels like her family is drowning her out, we see her large family constantly talking over her. It is on the slower end so a young reader who needs something faster paced might struggle, but a more voracious leader who wants something a bit quirkier and is going to challenge them might have a lot of fun with this book.
Maggie has a lot of struggles when it comes to actually existing outside of her family and being recognized by them at the same time. Her cousins and siblings are all given more attention (such as Corny who is deeply beloved by the entire town) or more accomplished (her younger brother was knighted when he was only five years old). The only person who really seems to remember that she exists is Graham, her new friend from school that everyone suggests is a romantic interest. When one of her cousins claims that Maggie has everything, Maggie gets indignant because, from her perspective, she has very little. I wouldn’t say that there is emotional neglect on the page, but I would say that Maggie disappears among the bigger personalities of her family.
The magic elements come in the form of a curse and the food. The garden that the Gartner family looks over has several very firm rules that they must follow, such as not pickling the produce the garden provides, and there are fruits and vegetables they can access that are out of season. Each item has a specific meaning that is sometimes tied to a particular culture and every dinner has a theme around a specific fruit or vegetable.
I would recommend this to young readers of MG looking for something a bit more challenging and readers of contemporary fantasy looking for a slower paced MG
The Garden Just Beyond by Lindsey Leavitt is a third person-POV Middle Grade contemporary fantasy set in New Jersey. The Gartner family has a long history of bringing dinner guests to their home and serving them an elaborate dinner. When it’s Maggie’s turn to finally prepare her first dinner, she’s excited but also has to deal with secrets in the family long buried coming back.
As I read this, I was somewhat reminded of A Series of Unfortunate Events. There’s this off-beat, somewhat distant voice plus a plot that isn’t quite as straightforward, but everything that is happening on the page is showing the audience things instead of telling them. For instance, instead of saying outright that Maggie feels like her family is drowning her out, we see her large family constantly talking over her. It is on the slower end so a young reader who needs something faster paced might struggle, but a more voracious leader who wants something a bit quirkier and is going to challenge them might have a lot of fun with this book.
Maggie has a lot of struggles when it comes to actually existing outside of her family and being recognized by them at the same time. Her cousins and siblings are all given more attention (such as Corny who is deeply beloved by the entire town) or more accomplished (her younger brother was knighted when he was only five years old). The only person who really seems to remember that she exists is Graham, her new friend from school that everyone suggests is a romantic interest. When one of her cousins claims that Maggie has everything, Maggie gets indignant because, from her perspective, she has very little. I wouldn’t say that there is emotional neglect on the page, but I would say that Maggie disappears among the bigger personalities of her family.
The magic elements come in the form of a curse and the food. The garden that the Gartner family looks over has several very firm rules that they must follow, such as not pickling the produce the garden provides, and there are fruits and vegetables they can access that are out of season. Each item has a specific meaning that is sometimes tied to a particular culture and every dinner has a theme around a specific fruit or vegetable.
I would recommend this to young readers of MG looking for something a bit more challenging and readers of contemporary fantasy looking for a slower paced MG
April 3, 2025
Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a DRC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I never had this author on my radar until now, but wow, I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more from Mrs. Leavitt.
There’s something so whimsical and magical about the writing that makes it feel naturally enchanting and whimsical, like you’re living right in Humble Hollow with the characters. The humor is spot-on too, and at times it even reminded me of The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman with its whimsical vibes. While the writing can be confusing at first—with lots of characters and family history thrown in without much introduction—I still found it captivating.
A magical garden with emotion-inducing produce, mentions of The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett, cozy mystery underlines… what else do you need? It’s not as atmospheric as I expected to be, BUT, it’s the perfect read to welcome spring and shake off that hibernation feeling.
The characters are definitely wonderful. I simply love Maggie. Her anxiety about doing things right is so relatable, and seeing her insecurities come through is so wholesome. She just wants to feel special and valued within her huge family, but she often feels lost and unsure of her place.
Graham (a.k.a. Mr. Everything) is another favorite; he’s curious, intelligent, and so matter-of-fact.
Also, Grandma Mara’s journal entries add such an intriguing layer to the story.
Again, the writing is beautiful, but it feels a little more mature for a middle grade book at times. The dialogue can come off as too serious, and some sections—like the dense family history portions—felt a bit heavy for the intended audience.
This book has such a beautiful message about heritage—how important it is to protect it because it’s basically who we are and where we come from.
They couldn’t reverse the mistakes they’d made in the town, with the garden, or one another. They couldn’t change who they’d been.
But they still could change who they would become.
And they could still stall.
The ending was beautiful; such a heartfelt and nurturing conclusion, and I loved how everything came together.
Overall, I loved it. I’d totally recommend it to anyone who’s into middle grade books with a mix of fantasy and mystery. Or, If you’re into genre-blending stories, this one’s definitely worth checking out!
I never had this author on my radar until now, but wow, I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read more from Mrs. Leavitt.
There’s something so whimsical and magical about the writing that makes it feel naturally enchanting and whimsical, like you’re living right in Humble Hollow with the characters. The humor is spot-on too, and at times it even reminded me of The Great Hibernation by Tara Dairman with its whimsical vibes. While the writing can be confusing at first—with lots of characters and family history thrown in without much introduction—I still found it captivating.
A magical garden with emotion-inducing produce, mentions of The Secret Garden by Frances Burnett, cozy mystery underlines… what else do you need? It’s not as atmospheric as I expected to be, BUT, it’s the perfect read to welcome spring and shake off that hibernation feeling.
The characters are definitely wonderful. I simply love Maggie. Her anxiety about doing things right is so relatable, and seeing her insecurities come through is so wholesome. She just wants to feel special and valued within her huge family, but she often feels lost and unsure of her place.
Graham (a.k.a. Mr. Everything) is another favorite; he’s curious, intelligent, and so matter-of-fact.
Also, Grandma Mara’s journal entries add such an intriguing layer to the story.
Again, the writing is beautiful, but it feels a little more mature for a middle grade book at times. The dialogue can come off as too serious, and some sections—like the dense family history portions—felt a bit heavy for the intended audience.
This book has such a beautiful message about heritage—how important it is to protect it because it’s basically who we are and where we come from.
They couldn’t reverse the mistakes they’d made in the town, with the garden, or one another. They couldn’t change who they’d been.
But they still could change who they would become.
And they could still stall.
The ending was beautiful; such a heartfelt and nurturing conclusion, and I loved how everything came together.
Overall, I loved it. I’d totally recommend it to anyone who’s into middle grade books with a mix of fantasy and mystery. Or, If you’re into genre-blending stories, this one’s definitely worth checking out!
May 30, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for an advanced reader copy.
I enjoyed this story. I love cooking so that was a must read. The world building was great. I try to read quite a bit of middle grade works so I can recommend books to my 11 year old niece and get so excited when she actually enjoys the stories as well. I believe this is one I will recommend to her
I enjoyed this story. I love cooking so that was a must read. The world building was great. I try to read quite a bit of middle grade works so I can recommend books to my 11 year old niece and get so excited when she actually enjoys the stories as well. I believe this is one I will recommend to her
March 31, 2025
As a person who loves both gardening and cooking, this book really resonated with me. It had interesting characters, good world building, and a plot that felt both magical and universal. It was fun, mysterious, and compelling.
However, while I did enjoy this book, I had a few issues with its delivery. There are a lot of characters, subplots, scheming, and aliases, as well as journal entries from even more characters—the deceased (mostly) members of the two main families in the book. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of who was who and who did/or was doing what. And those journal entries... They were fine, when they were a sparse scattering, but there was a point where there were a lot of entries. They distracted from the main story and read like information dumps.
Despite my issues with some of the stylistic choices of delivery, this book has a good story and a powerful message. At its heart, it is a book about family and family legacy, community, and second chances. And it reminds us all of the power and magic of forgiveness.
However, while I did enjoy this book, I had a few issues with its delivery. There are a lot of characters, subplots, scheming, and aliases, as well as journal entries from even more characters—the deceased (mostly) members of the two main families in the book. Sometimes it was difficult to keep track of who was who and who did/or was doing what. And those journal entries... They were fine, when they were a sparse scattering, but there was a point where there were a lot of entries. They distracted from the main story and read like information dumps.
Despite my issues with some of the stylistic choices of delivery, this book has a good story and a powerful message. At its heart, it is a book about family and family legacy, community, and second chances. And it reminds us all of the power and magic of forgiveness.
March 29, 2025
What I liked most about this book is the relevance given to cooking a dinner for the first time to her family as if it is a coming-of-age rite and acceptance ritual. There are lots of rules regarding ingredients, the garden, who can or can not cook from the garden, and what some ingredients signify, giving it all a magical realism and mystical feeling. At the same time, Graham is the kid in town who is patient to be a friend and grounds her to the daily problems of society more common to others.
It's a bit slow read but interesting.
It's a bit slow read but interesting.
April 20, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for this ARC.
Totally forgot about requesting this ARC... so imagine my surprise when I was last minute accepted for The Garden Just Beyond and learned it was to be published soon. Especially upon finding out it was a middle grade novel, which is not my favorite genre for fantasy but one I'm willing to venture more into. But boy howdy, was this a surprise! I feel the cover does not do the content justice: it's so full of whimsy in a way that reminded me of reading A Series of Unfortunate Events for the first time. The Garden Just Beyond is one of those books that makes you feel like you learned more about the world, while trying to escape it.
Upon first glance, The Garden Just Beyond feels a little on the older side of middle grade. I do not have much exposure to this genre, but to me this read like how I expect some authors to write 16 year old protagonists. As in, layers of emotional turmoil and introspection, but also someone that is still learning to grow. Maggie, or Magnolia, feels like a character who has ADHD and full of anxiety. She spends her time worried about when she will be called to make her first dinner-- a Gartner family tradition-- and join the family legacy. Hyper focusing on recipes that bring out the emotions, Maggie's personal relationships peter out before they begin. Lindsey Leavitt does an amazing job establishing Maggie's awkwardness with chit chat, and her inability to create friends. The reader can feel the inner turmoils of feeling like you are not good enough to match the rest of your spectacular family, and being left behind as a result.
Maggie's mind was such a joy to be a part of as we explored the mystery of newcomers into the town who seem to only want to get access to the family garden. Unlike most stories, although the garden is integral to Maggie's family and life, it feels like Maggie is more focused on growing as a person and discovering her identity outside of the family inheritance. She even makes her first friend who's ramblings ground her to the reality that she is a a child who is starting to grow up in the world, and allows her to open her eyes to the world around her. Without giving too much away, I am struggling to explain how beautifully executed the balance between plot and character development is in The Garden Just Beyond.
Leavitt's use of language is witty in how it makes even the most mundane, everyday comments feel like tongue in cheek comments. The prose drew me in, as well as the witticisms leading me to absolutely devour The Garden Just Beyond. I did not feel like I was wasting my time, but rather developing my worldview more. What was also refreshing was the inclusion of a female-male friendship that did not turn into a romance. Overall, The Garden Just Beyond felt like it matched what middle schoolers/ early high schoolers need: a time to reflect on who they want to be and learn to enjoy the moments as they come.
Totally forgot about requesting this ARC... so imagine my surprise when I was last minute accepted for The Garden Just Beyond and learned it was to be published soon. Especially upon finding out it was a middle grade novel, which is not my favorite genre for fantasy but one I'm willing to venture more into. But boy howdy, was this a surprise! I feel the cover does not do the content justice: it's so full of whimsy in a way that reminded me of reading A Series of Unfortunate Events for the first time. The Garden Just Beyond is one of those books that makes you feel like you learned more about the world, while trying to escape it.
Upon first glance, The Garden Just Beyond feels a little on the older side of middle grade. I do not have much exposure to this genre, but to me this read like how I expect some authors to write 16 year old protagonists. As in, layers of emotional turmoil and introspection, but also someone that is still learning to grow. Maggie, or Magnolia, feels like a character who has ADHD and full of anxiety. She spends her time worried about when she will be called to make her first dinner-- a Gartner family tradition-- and join the family legacy. Hyper focusing on recipes that bring out the emotions, Maggie's personal relationships peter out before they begin. Lindsey Leavitt does an amazing job establishing Maggie's awkwardness with chit chat, and her inability to create friends. The reader can feel the inner turmoils of feeling like you are not good enough to match the rest of your spectacular family, and being left behind as a result.
Maggie's mind was such a joy to be a part of as we explored the mystery of newcomers into the town who seem to only want to get access to the family garden. Unlike most stories, although the garden is integral to Maggie's family and life, it feels like Maggie is more focused on growing as a person and discovering her identity outside of the family inheritance. She even makes her first friend who's ramblings ground her to the reality that she is a a child who is starting to grow up in the world, and allows her to open her eyes to the world around her. Without giving too much away, I am struggling to explain how beautifully executed the balance between plot and character development is in The Garden Just Beyond.
Leavitt's use of language is witty in how it makes even the most mundane, everyday comments feel like tongue in cheek comments. The prose drew me in, as well as the witticisms leading me to absolutely devour The Garden Just Beyond. I did not feel like I was wasting my time, but rather developing my worldview more. What was also refreshing was the inclusion of a female-male friendship that did not turn into a romance. Overall, The Garden Just Beyond felt like it matched what middle schoolers/ early high schoolers need: a time to reflect on who they want to be and learn to enjoy the moments as they come.
January 14, 2025
E ARC Provided by Edelweiss
Magnolia Carter lives in Humble Hollow, a small town in the New Jersey Pine Barrens where her family has lived for generations. They have an unusual calling; they serve magical dinners that change people’s lives because of the ingredients that they grow on the farm. They used to just invite friends and neighbors, but now hunt down customers willing to pay high prices in order to have a source of income. Maggie has not yet cooked one of these dinners, but has been studying the effects of various ingredients and planning her menu. She often hangs out with her cousin Clementine, and her brother Corny and cousin Bay also are very involved in the business. When former customer Miguel (who was fed an acai bowl that gave him self-confidence and a good work ethic) wants to take his newly earned wealth and buy the property next to the Carter’s, the family wonders if this will ruin their magical crops. The town has fallen on hard times, and Maggie’s family hasn’t been as involved in the community as they were in the past, but Maggie wants to participate in the yearly Factory Days celebration. She partners with classmate Graham, whose uncle Timothy has an odd connection to the town and is raising Graham after his mother was imprisoned for embezzlement, which the two claim was a miscarriage of justice. Maggie finds journals kept by family members, and learns secrets about the hereditary powers, even though she seems to be lacking in some of them herself.
This is a departure from Leavitt’s usual realistic writing, like her young adult novels Sean Griswold’s Head (2011), Going Vintage (2013) The Chapel Wars (2014) and middle grade books The Pages Between Us (2016) and North of Supernova (2023). It’s more of an allegorical fantasy like Cole’s The Empty Place or Walker’s Once Upon a Fever with a heaping helping of the magical cooking that occurs in Littlewood’s Bliss or Larocca’s Midsummer’s Mayhem.
Magnolia Carter lives in Humble Hollow, a small town in the New Jersey Pine Barrens where her family has lived for generations. They have an unusual calling; they serve magical dinners that change people’s lives because of the ingredients that they grow on the farm. They used to just invite friends and neighbors, but now hunt down customers willing to pay high prices in order to have a source of income. Maggie has not yet cooked one of these dinners, but has been studying the effects of various ingredients and planning her menu. She often hangs out with her cousin Clementine, and her brother Corny and cousin Bay also are very involved in the business. When former customer Miguel (who was fed an acai bowl that gave him self-confidence and a good work ethic) wants to take his newly earned wealth and buy the property next to the Carter’s, the family wonders if this will ruin their magical crops. The town has fallen on hard times, and Maggie’s family hasn’t been as involved in the community as they were in the past, but Maggie wants to participate in the yearly Factory Days celebration. She partners with classmate Graham, whose uncle Timothy has an odd connection to the town and is raising Graham after his mother was imprisoned for embezzlement, which the two claim was a miscarriage of justice. Maggie finds journals kept by family members, and learns secrets about the hereditary powers, even though she seems to be lacking in some of them herself.
This is a departure from Leavitt’s usual realistic writing, like her young adult novels Sean Griswold’s Head (2011), Going Vintage (2013) The Chapel Wars (2014) and middle grade books The Pages Between Us (2016) and North of Supernova (2023). It’s more of an allegorical fantasy like Cole’s The Empty Place or Walker’s Once Upon a Fever with a heaping helping of the magical cooking that occurs in Littlewood’s Bliss or Larocca’s Midsummer’s Mayhem.
August 29, 2025
This is a whimsical story covering family dynamics, a magic garden, and a girl with a desperate desire to prove herself to her family and broader community. It has an absolutely magical concept with great family dinner vibes, but overall I found it somewhat forgettable.
I had a hard time getting through descriptions of Maggie’s family. I love quirky characters and some zany antics, but with these people (especially during the first dinner), I was sick to death of them very early on. Some of the characters are more endearing than others, but overall they were off-beat in a way that put me off instead of drawing me in. I think part of that was because these wacky characters and the tone they were discussed in didn’t always match the rest of the tone of the story. A lot of the story has a decent amount of bleakness and heartache, so the zany characters kept pulling me out of what the story was supposed to be. Overall, that led to me having mixed feelings about the book’s impact.
The story and characters felt somewhat chaotic at times. There could be a lot going on while nothing was actually happening, making it hard to follow sometimes. The diary entries could be a little dense and distracting, and the long conversations about what it means for her to see what she does in the garden felt a little bit too much like the author handing us a lot of information instead of letting the stories and characters do the work.
Overall, this had some fun ideas, but the strange mix of wacky and whimsical mixed with some heavy emotions and family history came off as both too light and too serious at the same time.
I had a hard time getting through descriptions of Maggie’s family. I love quirky characters and some zany antics, but with these people (especially during the first dinner), I was sick to death of them very early on. Some of the characters are more endearing than others, but overall they were off-beat in a way that put me off instead of drawing me in. I think part of that was because these wacky characters and the tone they were discussed in didn’t always match the rest of the tone of the story. A lot of the story has a decent amount of bleakness and heartache, so the zany characters kept pulling me out of what the story was supposed to be. Overall, that led to me having mixed feelings about the book’s impact.
The story and characters felt somewhat chaotic at times. There could be a lot going on while nothing was actually happening, making it hard to follow sometimes. The diary entries could be a little dense and distracting, and the long conversations about what it means for her to see what she does in the garden felt a little bit too much like the author handing us a lot of information instead of letting the stories and characters do the work.
Overall, this had some fun ideas, but the strange mix of wacky and whimsical mixed with some heavy emotions and family history came off as both too light and too serious at the same time.
September 7, 2025
Magnolia Gartner, who just wants to be called Maggie, has spent her entire 14 years as an unexceptional branch on her beyond-exceptional family tree. She has been waiting for the day when she will be called by the family cuckoo clock to the family's magical garden, where she can harvest produce that will change the lives of guests. She has scoured family histories for recipes and menus from past meals, dreaming of the day when she will finally be recognized by the family. Amid all of her anxiety, the town factory is sold, and instead of announcing the product for the festival, the mysterious owner announces a competition, and a newish boy to school tries to enlist Maggie's help in a partnership. The entire town knows that the Gartner meals are special, and Graham believes that Maggie just might be special, too. Maggie's and Graham's developing friendship is complicated by newly discovered and twisted family history and twist after twist as new information comes to light. Then, there is Maggie's doom version of the family garden and other complications. This book is filled with discovery after discovery that propel the reader to continue, to learn whether Maggie's steadiness can save two families and an entire town from disaster. I loved this book from start to finish. This book has a starred review from Kirkus.
May 21, 2025
The Garden Just Beyond follows fourteen-year-old Maggie Gartner, whose family has long tended a magical garden that produces crops capable of altering emotions. The family hosts exclusive dinners where guests experience profound transformations through the food they eat. Maggie, eager to prove herself, prepares for her first dinner, but unexpected challenges arise, threatening both the garden and her family's legacy. As she navigates friendships, family secrets, and a mysterious newcomer to town, Maggie must uncover the truth behind the garden’s power and her own place within it. Thank netgally for the arc
July 9, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 3.5-3.75/5 stars.
Overall, I enjoyed this middle grade novel. The premise is interesting, and I liked the mystery plus magical plus weirdness of the plot and some of the elements. The magical garden with the Gartners and food and emotion seemed innovative, and the town itself with its quirks was also just....refreshing. I loved how Maggie was the family historian and the most ordinary out of her family, but she ends up finding her voice toward the end of the novel. I deducted stars mostly because the "plot twist" ended up being ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! with some of the thing they included.
Overall, I enjoyed this middle grade novel. The premise is interesting, and I liked the mystery plus magical plus weirdness of the plot and some of the elements. The magical garden with the Gartners and food and emotion seemed innovative, and the town itself with its quirks was also just....refreshing. I loved how Maggie was the family historian and the most ordinary out of her family, but she ends up finding her voice toward the end of the novel. I deducted stars mostly because the "plot twist" ended up being ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! with some of the thing they included.
June 21, 2025
I think this book will be successful with older readers, though a middle schooler aware of that strange time of fitting in nowhere and everywhere and wanting to jump out of their skins and into another self, hopefully with the help from a little magic, might just love it. It's a New Jersey take on I Capture the Castle or Wrinkle in Time or The Mysterious Benedict Society, a little precious but full of some nice images. Maggie's family are not anywhere as interesting as they think they are but that's class for you.
September 19, 2025
Wow. There is a lot going on in this fantastic middle grade fantasy novel. So many times I laughed out loud. And so many times I had some really serious thoughts about family and what we carry with us from generations before. I feel like I need to reread this to find more nuances and subtleties—and to get all the relationships straight. Who wouldn’t love to design a dinner around foods that would provide your guests with exactly the feelings and emotions you think they need? So much manipulation! For older middle grades, young teens. My description is lacking, but I really loved this novel.
October 25, 2024
The Garden Just Beyond was a combination of supernatural and humor. The story is about a family with a special garden, whose fruits and vegetables grow out of season at the whim of the garden and endow the eaters with special gifts. The family holds expensive and exclusive dinners for paying guests and take turns cooking the meals. Maggie, however much she wants to participate, cannot see the garden and cannot hold dinner conversations without many funny gaffes. There is a threat to the garden, old family secrets are revealed and lessons are learned. The book has a sweet message of not burdening oneself with hostility and letting go of resentments and feuds. It is squeaky clean and appropriate for late elementary ages on up.
I received an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
I received an advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.
November 6, 2025
In some ways, this reminded me of "A Dictionary of Scoundrels" with a large family of weird characters, and a lead who struggles to find a way to fit in while also figuring out a mystery. But this is also much more mystical, with a magical garden that produces magical produce, that turns into life-changing meals (raspberries for imagination!). It had a slow start, but once I got into it I found it to be a fun read. Of course, I do like gardening and cooking, too.
August 12, 2025
This book was sweet and encourages a sense of imagination for young middle schoolers. Multiple times I caught myself wishing I had a magical garden in my back yard! There is a lot going on, but its exciting for a middle schooler, and will keep them engaged! By the end I needed to know what happened too! It has strong themes of family and ancestry. I enjoyed the diary entries throughout.
September 1, 2025
A fabulously fun read. This novel feels like Secret Garden meets The Bear. A quirky but loving family with a magical garden to protect, and an even quirkier town with very specific themed days. Honest and logical, Magnolia was a great lens to follow this story through. I loved every minute of it, even the history lessons!
October 27, 2025
This took me a little to get into, but ended up being interesting. I think you'd have to find the right kids for it though, because it's weird and has an odd narrative voice. It is implied that the main character is neurodivergent so it might be an attempt to see the world as she understands it? but it takes a while to get used to.
November 2, 2025
Such a cool and different concept. Great descriptions of setting and food, and i loved how the book tackled themes of family, community, and generational trauma. The characters had a lot of quirky charm and potential for more, but somehow felt a little flat--if they had been more fleshed out, this book would have been a total home run for me.
November 29, 2025
I liked the book and wanted to know how the author would untangle the many threads. After I was done, I felt like some aspects of the book were overly complicated.
Maggie, our central character, was appealing. Other characters varied in appeal and complexity, and some seemed to be just eccentric caricatures.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this.
Maggie, our central character, was appealing. Other characters varied in appeal and complexity, and some seemed to be just eccentric caricatures.
Overall, I enjoyed reading this.
August 7, 2025
This was a little too chaotic. It was going for quirky, and the charm got lost. I liked the concept, though.
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October 3, 2025Rating/review withheld until after Whitney Awards judging is completed
November 15, 2025
Yeah, this is gangly and unfocused and I don’t want to spend more time with it. I will need to find a different book by an Utah author.
November 25, 2025
Enchanting! Roald Dahl with a heart.
November 2, 2024
My favorite character is Magnolia aka Maggie. I was shocked by the sudden twist with Timothy. I truly enjoyed this book. The plot was great and the characters exceptional.
May 27, 2025
Currently a DNF. For one reason or another I just could not get into this book at the time I started reading. There was just a lot going on right from the start and it was confusing, and that put me off from wanting to continue. I really enjoy the concept and will attempt to read again sometime after publication.
December 29, 2025
I loved the magic garden element and the MC’s voice. I struggled with the inconsistent tone of the novel and all of the story elements.
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