The Stars of Whistling Ridge: An Enchanting Middle Grade Tale About Magic, Family, and Finding Where You Belong for Kids

by Cindy Baldwin

Ivy Mae Bloom, whose name is one letter away from a complete sentence, has lived her entire life on the road. Her mama is a fallen star who travels near and far to tend to the magic that underpins our world. When Ivy steals Mama's entire supply of wish jars in the hopes of finding a forever home, a series of disasters strands the Blooms in Whistling Ridge, North Carolina, with Mama's two star sisters. Ivy knows her wish has been granted and that Whistling Ridge is her forever home—she just needs to convince her parents to stay.

But something is draining the magic from Whistling Ridge, and the star sisters can't stop it. With help from some new friends, Ivy stumbles across a clue in the town's history that might explain the mysterious force threatening Whistling Ridge . . . but if the town's magic is healed, Mama will want to move on. Ivy must choose: Can she help her mama and aunts lift Whistling Ridge's curse—even if it means losing the only place she's ever called home?

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Audiobook, Fiction, Magic, Young Adult

400 pages, Hardcover

First published June 15, 2021

About the author

Cindy Baldwin the author of the critically acclaimed novels WHERE THE WATERMELONS GROW, BEGINNERS WELCOME, THE STARS OF WHISTLING RIDGE, and NO MATTER THE DISTANCE (2/2023). She lives just outside Portland, Oregon, with her husband and daughter.

(PS, Goodreads friends! I am no longer accepting friend requests on Goodreads.)

Reviews

[Tina Loves To Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a Middle Grade with some Magical Realism. I really enjoyed this book. The characters where developed, but I feel the magical realism parts took a little bit to understand. I do not think the Magical Realism parts where as developed in the beginning, but it was by the end. I enjoyed the storyline, but It was hard to follow at parts. Overall, I really liked this book, and I loved the characters. I listened to the audiobook for this book, but the e-audiobook I listen to used synthetic voice only for early review use. So, I cannot say if the narrator is good or not. I was kindly provided an e-audiobook of this book by the publisher (HarperCollins/Quill Tree) or author (Cindy Baldwin) via NetGalley, so I can give honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Ivy Mae Bloom is almost thirteen years old, her name is almost a complete sentence, and her family’s RV is almost a home."

THE STARS OF WHISTLING RIDGE is a magical middle grade story of a girl desperate for a forever home, and ultimately learning that "home" means more than just a stationary building. Ivy Mae Bloom's mother and two aunts are fallen stars in human form, and they control the magic in different parts of the country. Ivy's family is constantly on the move, traveling from place to place so her mother can help people by granting wishes.

Even though her mom warned her that sometimes wishes were unpredictable, Ivy steals the wish jars and dreams of a permeant home like her Aunt Agatha has in Whistling Ridge, North Carolina. Not long after, the family ends up stranded in Whistling Ridge, and they learn that the town is plagued by a sinister force destroying its magic. Ivy is then faced with a dilemma, since saving the town will mean having to move on again.

Ivy is a relatable character as she faces conflicts with her parents & siblings, the challenge of making new friends, and doing the right thing even if it means not getting what she wants. I enjoyed the mystery of Whistling Ridge's curse, and how clever Ivy was to research the town's history and try to fit the puzzle pieces together. The ending was satisfying with Ivy learning a lot about herself, her family, and what "home" truly means. Recommended to fans of magical realism and mystery.

Disclosure: I received a copy of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Darla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Be careful what you wish for, Ivy Mae Bloom. Ivy travels around the country in an RV with her travel writer dad, her star magic mother, and her two sisters -- Elena and Sophie. As she nears her 13th birthday, Ivy decides she is tired of travelling and makes a big wish for home and all the things that go along with it in her dreams. A chain of events begins immediately sending the family Whistling Ridge. Could it be that Ivy's dreams are coming true already? If so, why are there so many strange things happening? Why does getting what she wanted seem to be hurting the people around her? Ivy loves things that come in threes. So, here are three things I liked about this book: 1) The Bloom family sticks together and forgives each other. 2) The Lydia Lovelace legend and the ways it wove in and out of the narrative. 3) Cats named Coffee and Cream. I was really looking forward to this one as I so loved Where the Watermelons Grow. I do not feel that his title is quite as strong as the previous by Baldwin, but will still be wonderful summer read.

Thank you to Harper Collins (Quill Tree Books) and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

[Alaina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Stars of Whistling Ride started off on a pretty interesting note. In it, you will meet Ivy who is currently in a motorhome with her family. Completely cramped that is. At one point, Ivy makes a wish or two, okay nine in total, to have a forever home. Which I completely get because the girl is tired of moving. Tired.

I was tired of her moving all over the place because I never experienced that myself. Some would say that's a never ending adventure.. but meh. I've lived in the same town my entire life. Not the same home but I'm good either way. So I felt bad for her and her family because of the life they lives.

Besides Ivy, you meet her two younger sisters.. which eh, the parents definitely should've hung out or paid more attention to their kids. It was like they are all the middle child at one point. It doesn't help that the youngest, Sophie, is the favorite of the family and can basically do no wrong.

That being said.. I am also the youngest in my family but trust me.. the dogs are the favorite.

In the end, I'm honestly confused with how everything went down but I just ended up going with the flow of things. It was nice to see Ivy happy in the end, I guess.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I saw this was available on Netgalley, I thought "why not". I've been meaning to try more Middle Grade stories as I almost never read in that genre and I'm still searching for one that will make me feel like this genre could also be enjoyable for me. Unfortunately, The Stars of Whistling Ridge wasn't that book but it's probably a Me problem instead of a book problem.

In it, you'll meet Ivy as she is tired to follow her family who moves from one town to the next. To stop that and to have a "forever home" she ends up stealing the wishes that her mother was meant to use for other people and use them for herself. I was curious about the plot about the town but I feel like I didn't end up getting what I wanted/expected.

If you love Middle Grade books, you'll probably enjoy this one more than me :)

(Thank you for letting me read and review an ARC via Netgalley)

[Aly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a sweet book about family and what home really means.

Ivy lives in a cramped motorhome with her parents and two younger sisters, traveling around the country so her mom can help people with magic. Ivy's mom is a fallen star made human and her duty is to gather magic into wishes and give them to people. One day when Ivy has had enough of the constant moving, she makes nine wishes to have a permanent home and suddenly her family ends up stuck in her aunt's town.

There is a story about the town of Whistling Ridge and a growing void that is slowly hurting the residents, but it's more of a background plot. The main story is about Ivy and her relationship with her family. She struggles to get along with her sisters, particularly the youngest one Sophie. Ivy feels like Sophie is the golden child and she's left out. She also just wants to stay in one place so she can make friends and put down roots, which I think is understandable. Kids need friends and when you're homeschooled and never stay anywhere more than a couple weeks, how can you make any significant connections?

I thought this had some cute moments and I enjoyed when the sisters got along and cared for each other. There are also some nice lessons Ivy's aunts teach her that help her feel validated and understand what's really important to her.

I received an advance copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Sirah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although some people might dream of traveling across the country in a camper catching fireflies and granting wishes, twelve-year-old Ivy has had about enough of it. It gets worse when her youngest sister won't stop annoying her and her best friend won't respond to emails. Ivy decides it's time to do something about it and finds a way to get her family stuck at their aunt's house in Whistling Ridge. Finally Ivy can have some privacy, make some friends, get a library card, cuddle with a pet and do the sorts of things that normal kids do. But something's not right in Whistling Ridge, and Ivy discovers that it's up to her to help her mother and aunts get to the bottom of a strange sucking darkness that threatens to unravel the town and perhaps the whole world.
Oof, there's a lot written into this little book. Themes include family, forgiveness, growing up, and dealing with loss, among other things. I loved how easy it was to see things from Ivy's perspective, even though she's not very like me in reality. Her thoughts and dreams are a little repetitive at times (three is an important number, by the way. If you forget this, don't worry, the book will remind you six times), but you've got to hand it to Ivy: she knows what she wants. The descriptions and thoughtful considerations really brought the story to life and made it easy to feel both the bright autumn afternoons as well as the dangerous darkness. The characters were believable and creative and the plot was full of little quirks and twists that made this a captivating read all the way to the end. Also, bravo to the cover artist. I mean, just look at it! I couldn't think of a better cover to capture the magic, mystery, hope and fear that dance along each page. I feel warm and hopeful after reading this book, and I hope it will do the same for you.

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was received as an ARC from HarperCollins Children's Books - Quill Tree Books in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

I loved the sentiment of this story in relation to a place where someone can call home. Your wish coming true in finding your place in the world and discovering the secret to why everything else is wrong in the world. There is magic being drained and a curse among Whistling Ridge and Ivy's two aunt being both called the stars entrust in Ivy in saving their home. If Ivy saves Whistling Ridge, she is afraid that she and her mother will leave Whistling Ridge and no longer be needed especially since Ivy has grown a love for Whistling Ridge. Everyone needs a sense of belonging and you are along for the ride seeing how there is magic everywhere and all you have to do is believe. I know our young readers will really find this book very refreshing and I might just even nominate this book for our next Battle of the Books.

We will consider adding this title to our JFiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

[ruffles · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Audio for the voice galley of The Stars of Whistling Ridge.

It's hard to read a middle-grade book as an adult and mother because I ended up feeling defensive at some points for the parents and my thoughts would say "I'm sure they are doing the best they can" and "They are just trying to provide for you" Things like that would run through my head.

With that being said, I did relate to the MC Ivy and felt for her in her moments of sadness, anger, and frustration. This would be a good book for a young teenage girl or pre-teen to read I think just on the descriptions of feelings and moments when her feelings are talked about. It would open up a good discussion I'm sure if you read it with your middle-grade child. I liked the magic elements and would have liked even more magic moments or explanations or background info. Part of the ending made sense and part of it didn't. I had an idea for the ending but what I thought would happen didn't so I am a bit disappointed. But, overall it was a cute read!

[Joanna Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This exquisite book will spark in your heart like a firefly wish. Tender, thoughtful, and true.

[Miya (severe pain struggles, slower at the moment) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is not to like about this elementary to middle grade read?! It is magical and mythical. A young girl named Ivy Mae Bloom wants to live in one place...settled down for once in her life. Since the beginning she has lived on the road traveling. Her mama is literally a fallen star. Awesome right?! She has wish jars that she uses to help people in need. People who need a wish granted. Ivy gets herself and her family into trouble when she takes all of the wish jars herself to grant her own wish. Many of us can relate to Ivy. We all want stability and normalcy. A lovey adventurous read for young ones!
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Kathie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Amanda Rawson Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite of all of Cindy Baldwin's books. Just beautiful!

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book targeted for middle age readers.

Ivy Mae Bloom (one letter away from a sentence) is tired of being confined to an RV with her parents and two little sisters.

When given the opportunity to wish, let’s all go with Charlie’s wish. Wouldn’t the world be such a better place?

I love the role that the librarian played in this book.

This book especially resonated with me because we enjoy our RV (but with 2 people, not 5) and a very wonderful aunt lived in the mountains of North Carolina and this story kept taking me back to her magic and love.

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher (Quill Tree Books) and the author/Cindy Baldwin for the opportunity to listen to the advance copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[Ham · Rating 2 out of 5]

There was nothing wrong with this book per se. I'm just not a fan of middle grade novels. I always like to try one here or there to see if I stumble upon a great one. (It doesn't happen very often.) This had fun world-building and interesting characters. I got to 62% before I realized I didn't care what happened to the MC or how the story ended. It just got too middle-gradey for me. Too much lame mystery and kids striving to be good students and love learning, etc. blech.
Thanks NetGalley for the chance to review this robotic-audio-version.
ps. the cover looks nothing like a fantasy book. It screams feel-good slice-of-life middle grade... which, come to think about it, was more in line with the book's actual contents. The magic seemed totally incidental to the plot of fitting in to a new place and uncovering a boring (for me) town history.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited for this book to come out and it did not disappoint. Ivy Mae Bloom is the age where sometimes you need your own space, and sometimes you can't stand your sisters. Which makes things hard, because the Bloom family lives in a Winnebago and travels the country so that her mom, a fallen star, can help care for the magic in the world. One night Ivy Mae takes matters into her own hands, steals all of the wishes her mom has collected, and wishes for a real home. Almost immediately things start going wrong and the family ends up having to go live with Ivy Mae's Aunt Agatha, where Ivy Mae finds friends and also a mystery that seems to be poisoning the town. Realistic and magical, both.

[Laura Prindable · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Net Galley for an audio copy of The Stars of Whistling Ridge. This book was just not for me. I thought the storyline was weak. Maybe it's that this is a middle grade book, but I've read them before and liked them.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Did you ever wonder about the things in your life you can’t quite explain? We owe that magic to fallen stars. Ivy’s mama and her two sisters are some of those stars. It is their duty to care for the magic in the world and to make certain it doesn’t become unruly. Without them, the magic in our lives would disappear. To make certain this doesn’t happen, Ivy, her two sisters and her mom and dad travel from place to place in an old Winnebago to wherever her mama is most needed. Ivy’s always accepted their vagabond life, but now that she is twelve, she realizes she doesn’t want to travel the country anymore. Instead, she dreams of having a forever home, a pet, and friends. And though she knows the unbreakable three rules about wishes, especially “rule 2: never use more than one wish at a time, because wishes are unpredictable when combined, Ivy has a plan. She took Mama’s nine remaining wishes and wished “I wish to have a forever home, I wish to find my One True Place.” And the disasters began.

This realistic fiction MG story is rich in description and magic as it shares the importance of family, the realities of asthma, friendships and growing pains. I completely understood Ivy’s yearning to stay in one place and have a forever home. I was taken back to age thirteen when friendships were a priority and the worst thing I could imagine was moving. I felt her conflicting feelings about her family’s mission and her desperation to become more of a “normal” family as she realized the true meaning of home. It’s one for grades 3+ and is available now.

[Melissa T · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet story with an interesting concept.

Ivy's mother is a star woman, a star who fell to earth and chose to live her life as a woman. Ivy and her family travel around the country in an RV, and her mother helps to mend magic that needs a bit of help in places. She also catches fireflies and grants wishes with them.

The story reiterates the message that we should always be careful what we wish for, and that things may not always turn out the way we expect them to.

There is a lot packed into this story. There are several heavier themes, like illness, and death along with simpler ones of friendships and wanting a place to call your own.

The characters all mesh well within the story and are easily relatable.

One disappointment is that the magic doesn't really show itself until I'd say the last quarter of the book or so. I felt that this should have been fleshed out more. Despite this, it comes together well, and in a way that I wasn't quite expecting.

I do feel that there is a bit of overexplaining in the book, with Ivy's list of words and their definitions. There was also one strange spot about a hundred pages in or so where one line repeats within a page. You read it on the left side, and then the very next page it repeats itself again.

I gave this 5 stars because the ending made me emotional, and I was really invested. If I had the ability to use half stars though, I think this would have been a 4.5 from me.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful story of sisters and family and home--the true meaning of home and happiness. Ivy Mae is a grounded girl, growing up in the wistful family. While her mother's family is magical, Ivy Mae simply wants to stop traveling, but to have a "forever home" where she can have roots. So she takes her mother's magical wishes and wishes for a forever home, without fully understanding the consequences of implications of her wish. And then her family and Whistling Ridge begins to fall prey to those unforeseen consequences. I found it a beautiful metaphor for "be careful what you wish for," teaching the lesson to count the cost of what you truly want. I love the parallel's between the Star sisters and Ivy Mae with her sisters. Beautifully done.

[Cali · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun storyline about fallend shooting stars living on earth the help make wishes come true. Focuses on relationships and being careful for what you wish for.

My 12 year old and I both enjoyed this book.

Beginner's Welcome is my favorite of Cindy Baldwin's books, so far.

[Taryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up

[Ann · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish. Wasn't holding my interest. Maybe I was too distracted with other things.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC of this delightful book. The story follows Ivy May Bloom and her family as they travel the countryside in their RV. All Ivy has ever wanted is a home that doesn’t involve traveling. Her mother is truly a fallen star and barters wishes for a living. Ivy decides to take matters into her own hands and uses her mother’s wishes, a total of 9 of them, to try to get the life she wants. Well, adventures ensue making Ivy question her desire to stay in one place and what family really means. This was a well written story regarding family relationships. Enjoyable read.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was kindly provided an e-book by the publishers via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review of this book. This book is scheduled to be released on June 15, 2021.

The Stars of Whistling Ridge is a middle grade novel that follows a young girl’s journey of discovering what it means to have a “forever home.” Ivy Mae Bloom is the daughter of a fallen star, turned human woman, who trades wishes to people. This life of bartering wishes means the family must travel around the country to wherever the wishes are needed. This leaves Ivy longing for a more permanent situation—a forever home.

When Ivy decides to steal wishes to make her dream come true, the effects begin a snowball of events that lead the family to an Aunt’s home in Whistling Ridge. Once they arrive, they realize there is something completely messed up within the magical realm of this town. Ultimately, this background plot converges into the main plot of Ivy’s struggles with her sisters, her desire to have friends, and the longing for a place to call home.

I would recommend this book to middle grade readers who enjoy fantasy but also stories about self-discovery.

[Mortisha Cassavetes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a wonderful and imaginative story. I really enjoyed it. The book follows Ivy Mae Bloom, a young girl that travels with her parents because her Mother is a fallen star and she travels around procuring magical wishes. One night, Ivy decides to steal all her Mother's wishes and use them for herself to wish for a forever home because she is tired of traveling around and wants to settle down. Her Mother warned her of using too many wishes and thus bad things start happening in Whistling Ridge, where her Aunt lives and now they must travel there to help. No Spoilers but I definitely recommend it for kids of all ages. Thanks to Netgalley for this review copy.

[Cassie Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Disclaimer: The synthetic narrator just was not doing it for me. It was SO hard sometimes to get through, which I think in turn made me question the story. I would have to remind myself it's a computer voice and to focus on what Cindy was writing rather than how it was being read. With that being said..

I really did enjoy this magical realism story. I felt that Ivy feels a lot like our kids do sometimes; unseen and in desperate need to know their purpose and where they fit. Because of how Cindy took the storyline and wove in Ivy's desperate need for stability (a need so many students are experiencing these days) - I found myself rooting for Ivy. You will feel good after reading this, and I think that alone is enough for me to recommend to students and even read aloud to my classes.

[Clare Bird · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright Cindy, I'm like a 3.87 out of 5 birds for The Stars of Whistling Ridge, rounded up. I was very excited to get my hands on this ARC audio copy from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review. Last year I read Where the Watermelons Grow by Cindy and LOVE every second of it. The Stars of Whistling Ridge first caught my attention with the cover, it's beautiful artwork. The book started out strong for me and I was very intrigued, then I started to get to know Ivy more and more and she was a very unlikable main character to me. So whiny and obnoxious- so maybe similar to a hormonal tween.... So I mean you nailed the character- maybe too well. I did really enjoy the mixing of magic realism and contemporary. I thought the plot was unique and the save the earth undertones were awesome. I think a middle grader would enjoy it and perhaps not so much the adults. I will also point out that I loved the juxtaposition of the sisterhoods. The older set and the younger. I too have two sisters and am the obnoxious youngest of the three, so I could relate on some level. Overall, worth the read. I would maybe encourage you to READ this one rather than listen- perhaps it will allow you to create your own voice for Ivy.

Thanks for the advanced copy and also a shout out to Cindy. I've been following her on social media and she is awesome with her fans. I will definitely read more of hers. I admire her and all the hard work she puts into her writing. I also loved the shout out to her daughter through zoom first grade. I can relate on so many levels because I have a zoom kindergartner.

[Dead Sirius · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ivy Mae Bloom has never known a true home with a backyard, a pet, a treehouse, or even stable friends. But that's exactly what she wishes for when she steals her mother's jar of wishes. Her mom, a shooting star personified, has the ability to grant wishes to those who seek them, but Ivy Mae is taking destiny into her own hands. But as her mother always warns Ivy Mae and her sisters, wishes that come true never get realized the way we expect them.

I can admit never having to move around as a kid, but I understood where Ivy Mae was coming from. Cindy Baldwin wrote a well-rounded character that resonated with me both in her highs and lows. Even when Ivy Mae made a choice I probably would not approve of if I were a parent, I never felt like her decisions came out of nowhere. I enjoyed watching Ivy Mae grow and realize what family and home really mean.

I do wish we got to see more of the shooting star history, especially more into the powers of shooting stars. There was a little bit lacking there, especially towards the end.

I think this book is a good transition for children who are just growing out of children books and starting to enter into middle grade fiction. If I bought younger children this would be a good story to recommend to children in my local area that has a lot of army families. I think it would be a good book to bring up discussions about family relationships and how we define home.

[Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to the publisher for an e-ARC of this book.

Ivy Mae Bloom is an incredibly sympathetic main character. Having spent the whole of her life traveling the United States in an RV named Martha, all she longs for is a forever home. She wants a place to put down roots, take a bath in a bathtub, and make friends she doesn't have to become pen pals with. What she soon discovers, though, is that wishes can take on a life of their own. Though this book falls squarely in the fantasy genre, many readers will sympathize with Ivy's longing, and with her relationships with her sisters.

I've enjoyed Cindy Baldwin's previous novels, and this one didn't disappoint.