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Nell of Gumbling #1
My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life
Seventh grade is no fairy tale. From the bestselling author of Okay Witch comes an utterly enchanting graphic novel-diary hybrid about a twelve-year-old girl living an ordinary life in a magical land…disappointment, friend drama, adventure, mystery, and all!
To everyone else, the Magical Land of Gumbling is something out of fairy tales. But to Nell Starkeeper, it’s just home. Sure, the town community center might be a castle, her dads run a star farm, and her best friend Myra is a fairy, but Nell is much more interested in finding out if she’ll get the seventh grade apprenticeship of her dreams with world-famous artist Wiz Bravo.
She’s pretty sure her entire life has been RUINED when she’s instead matched with boring old Mrs. Birdneck in the town archives. And of course her perfect rival Leabelle gets to work with Wiz, and mean girl Viola won’t let Nell forget it. Meanwhile, suddenly Myra seems more into hanging out with Leabelle and saving the town from some weird strangers who keep talking about turning Gumbling into a fancy resort than being friends with Nell anymore. Can Nell find a way to save everything that makes her world magical, while figuring out where she belongs in it?
To everyone else, the Magical Land of Gumbling is something out of fairy tales. But to Nell Starkeeper, it’s just home. Sure, the town community center might be a castle, her dads run a star farm, and her best friend Myra is a fairy, but Nell is much more interested in finding out if she’ll get the seventh grade apprenticeship of her dreams with world-famous artist Wiz Bravo.
She’s pretty sure her entire life has been RUINED when she’s instead matched with boring old Mrs. Birdneck in the town archives. And of course her perfect rival Leabelle gets to work with Wiz, and mean girl Viola won’t let Nell forget it. Meanwhile, suddenly Myra seems more into hanging out with Leabelle and saving the town from some weird strangers who keep talking about turning Gumbling into a fancy resort than being friends with Nell anymore. Can Nell find a way to save everything that makes her world magical, while figuring out where she belongs in it?
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 26, 2023
8 people are currently reading
502 people want to read
About the author
Emma Steinkellner
12 books217 followersEmma Steinkellner is an illustrator, cartoonist, and writer based in Los Angeles, CA.
She is the author and illustrator of the middle grade graphic novel The Okay Witch (Aladdin, Fall 2019). The Okay Witch tells the story of 13-year-old Moth Hush, who learns that magic is to be expected when you're a Hush in an adventure that spans centuries, generations, and even worlds as Moth unravels the complicated legacy of witches at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.
She is a graduate of Stanford University's department of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, where she created, wrote, and illustrated her thesis It Gets Weird, a science fiction sex ed graphic novel for adolescent readers and where she proclaimed herself "one of Stanford's most elite goons".
Working in print and webcomics, Emma has illustrated projects with her radiant sister, writer Kit Steinkellner, including the teen rom-com webcomic Aces and the Eisner-nominated superhero coming-of-age story Quince with Fanbase Press and is the creator of the comic diary Pow Slam Sparkle.
She is the author and illustrator of the middle grade graphic novel The Okay Witch (Aladdin, Fall 2019). The Okay Witch tells the story of 13-year-old Moth Hush, who learns that magic is to be expected when you're a Hush in an adventure that spans centuries, generations, and even worlds as Moth unravels the complicated legacy of witches at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.
She is a graduate of Stanford University's department of Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, where she created, wrote, and illustrated her thesis It Gets Weird, a science fiction sex ed graphic novel for adolescent readers and where she proclaimed herself "one of Stanford's most elite goons".
Working in print and webcomics, Emma has illustrated projects with her radiant sister, writer Kit Steinkellner, including the teen rom-com webcomic Aces and the Eisner-nominated superhero coming-of-age story Quince with Fanbase Press and is the creator of the comic diary Pow Slam Sparkle.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
September 16, 2025
This is absolutely the most adorable, well written book/series. I read it with my daughter and now she reads it alone and I'm jealous because I enjoyed it as much as she did! It's set in a fairy tale realm, but modern times, if that makes sense, and it follows a girl named Nell through tough school situations and issues with her friends, as well as bigger mysteries. The art is delightful, and it's a hybrid grpahic novel, so diary entries and other longer text blocks abound, great for transitional readers. Appropriate for a kid 8-13 I think. Highly recommend this delightful series!
August 13, 2023
This is such a heartwarming middle grade graphic novel. It's written in diary format and does have lots of text too. It's about friendship and community and the importance of stories in the small magical town of Gumbling, which is being threatened by a greedy brother and sister developers who claim to be the descendants of Gumbling's last king. They want to turn the castle, which currently houses those who can't afford homes and provides community services for the entire village, into an amusement park.
I really enjoyed this!
I really enjoyed this!
April 19, 2023
This middle grades graphic novel has everything: strong old and blossoming new friendships, queer representation and diversity, magical and mystical elements, supportive adults who listen, adventure, realistic expressions of emotions, humor, solid pop culture references, anti-capitalist and anti-big corporation notions, activism, themes involving coming-of-age and identity, and so much more. Read it! You will love this whether you are Nell’s age or Yabulga’s age. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!
Read
November 14, 2023Super cute! Not a surprise that I enjoyed this one, I enjoyed her previous graphic novels (The Okay Witch) too. I really enjoyed the sibling and friendship dynamics in here, and definitely think it will make a great book club book for work.
January 5, 2024
Extremely slow-paced but it's charming. I absolutely love the blend of the fantastical and the mundane.
3.5
3.5
October 1, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley & Random House Children's for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Fantastic read! I really love this urban fantasy graphic novel, it's so sweet and wholesome. The art style is fantastic and lends itself well to diversifying body types--usually, people are stick figures in graphic novels but not this one. All of the characters are fleshed out and the messages throughout were really sweet and realistic. Stellar read!
Fantastic read! I really love this urban fantasy graphic novel, it's so sweet and wholesome. The art style is fantastic and lends itself well to diversifying body types--usually, people are stick figures in graphic novels but not this one. All of the characters are fleshed out and the messages throughout were really sweet and realistic. Stellar read!
August 14, 2023
E ARC provided by Netgalley
This was a little different from this author's The Okay Witch; it's more like Teri Libenson's Emmie and Friends in format, with some pages that have more text, and some that embrace the graphic novel panel style.
Nell lives in a magical town, where one of her dads is a star farmer. She's upset that she has to do an internship with the local historian, because she really wants to work with the local artist, since she loves to draw. She gets pulled into a mystery, and there are two people who want to "develop" the town, and she has to stop them before they change Gumbling's way of life.
My middle school students would probably read this, but it seems more suited to elementary students. Didn't quite cross the line into twee, but had a foot poised to step over it.
This was a little different from this author's The Okay Witch; it's more like Teri Libenson's Emmie and Friends in format, with some pages that have more text, and some that embrace the graphic novel panel style.
Nell lives in a magical town, where one of her dads is a star farmer. She's upset that she has to do an internship with the local historian, because she really wants to work with the local artist, since she loves to draw. She gets pulled into a mystery, and there are two people who want to "develop" the town, and she has to stop them before they change Gumbling's way of life.
My middle school students would probably read this, but it seems more suited to elementary students. Didn't quite cross the line into twee, but had a foot poised to step over it.
April 18, 2023
MAH HEART!
This graphic novel is soooo good! Its set in the magical town of Gumbling, Nell and her friends receive their assigned apprenticeships. Nell is hoping to be the apprentice to a famous artist but is disappointed when she is assigned to the town archivist. Nell is unhappy and disappointed, Her friends got the apprenticeships they wanted. But things do always go as expected, two tourists come to town and they threaten to make the town a tourist location. This book is about learning something new, changing one's perception of things and also about how even young kids play a part in activism. I can't recommend this book enough!
This graphic novel is soooo good! Its set in the magical town of Gumbling, Nell and her friends receive their assigned apprenticeships. Nell is hoping to be the apprentice to a famous artist but is disappointed when she is assigned to the town archivist. Nell is unhappy and disappointed, Her friends got the apprenticeships they wanted. But things do always go as expected, two tourists come to town and they threaten to make the town a tourist location. This book is about learning something new, changing one's perception of things and also about how even young kids play a part in activism. I can't recommend this book enough!
February 11, 2024
Great characters, fun setting, a little rushed towards the ending.
October 26, 2023
I received a copy from Random House Children's, Labyrinth Road through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Growing up in Gumbling is not the fairytale it may appear to be to outsiders. However, Nell Starkeeper and her friends love their home and can’t imagine ever leaving. Everything is about to change now that some strangers claiming to be directly related to the last king of Gumbling have arrived. They want to put everyone out of business, evict many people who call Gumbling home, and turn it into a big fancy resort and theme park. Nell and her friends must put their heads together and find a way to save Gumbling or watch everything they’ve ever known be destroyed by two money hungry strangers.
I’m a big fan of Emma Steinkellner work, so I was extremely excited when I learned they had a new book coming out. We follow Nell, a 12-year-old artist, right as she’s about to start her seventh grade apprenticeship. What began as excitement turns to absolute disappointment when she’s matched with Mrs. Birdneck down in the dungeons working on the town archives instead of her idol, Wiz Bravo, a well-known artist. At least she has her best friend, Myra… until they reach their first big friendship hurdle!
This book is absolutely wonderful. I love that it teaches its target readers anything from figuring out friendship woes to dealing with people and classes they don’t like or don’t care about. Nell is bored by the archives and dislikes Mrs. Birdneck as much as Mrs. Birdneck dislikes her, but learns to accept her fate. She even learns how to connect with both Mrs. Birdneck and the archives she thought she hated! I really like that we also learned some of Mrs. Birdneck’s backstory, which really puts things into perspective for Nell and readers.
Speaking of friendships, Nell’s group of friends are such cool characters. Myra and Gil are her core friends, but she experiences her first big friendship hiccup with Myra when they find themselves at odds with each other. I love that we’re shown the two of them dealing with their problems in a healthy manner as well as seeing how friendships don’t always require one to be connected at the hip. We also see Nell make friends with characters she previously disliked or was jealous of, and we learn there’s more to meet the eye, which is another important lesson for readers.
Gumbling is such a vibrant world and the artwork really brings it to life. The story is presented as Mell’s journal that combines her art with her journal entries. It’s such a fun way to bring the story to life, but it’s also fast paced enough to keep its target audience (middle graders) entertained. I think this is an absolutely wonderful story and I look forward to seeing what Steinkellner publishes next.
Growing up in Gumbling is not the fairytale it may appear to be to outsiders. However, Nell Starkeeper and her friends love their home and can’t imagine ever leaving. Everything is about to change now that some strangers claiming to be directly related to the last king of Gumbling have arrived. They want to put everyone out of business, evict many people who call Gumbling home, and turn it into a big fancy resort and theme park. Nell and her friends must put their heads together and find a way to save Gumbling or watch everything they’ve ever known be destroyed by two money hungry strangers.
I’m a big fan of Emma Steinkellner work, so I was extremely excited when I learned they had a new book coming out. We follow Nell, a 12-year-old artist, right as she’s about to start her seventh grade apprenticeship. What began as excitement turns to absolute disappointment when she’s matched with Mrs. Birdneck down in the dungeons working on the town archives instead of her idol, Wiz Bravo, a well-known artist. At least she has her best friend, Myra… until they reach their first big friendship hurdle!
This book is absolutely wonderful. I love that it teaches its target readers anything from figuring out friendship woes to dealing with people and classes they don’t like or don’t care about. Nell is bored by the archives and dislikes Mrs. Birdneck as much as Mrs. Birdneck dislikes her, but learns to accept her fate. She even learns how to connect with both Mrs. Birdneck and the archives she thought she hated! I really like that we also learned some of Mrs. Birdneck’s backstory, which really puts things into perspective for Nell and readers.
Speaking of friendships, Nell’s group of friends are such cool characters. Myra and Gil are her core friends, but she experiences her first big friendship hiccup with Myra when they find themselves at odds with each other. I love that we’re shown the two of them dealing with their problems in a healthy manner as well as seeing how friendships don’t always require one to be connected at the hip. We also see Nell make friends with characters she previously disliked or was jealous of, and we learn there’s more to meet the eye, which is another important lesson for readers.
Gumbling is such a vibrant world and the artwork really brings it to life. The story is presented as Mell’s journal that combines her art with her journal entries. It’s such a fun way to bring the story to life, but it’s also fast paced enough to keep its target audience (middle graders) entertained. I think this is an absolutely wonderful story and I look forward to seeing what Steinkellner publishes next.
Read
October 25, 2023Rating:4.5/5 or 8.43/10
Overall, Nell of Gumbling was an enjoyable Middle-Grade Fantasy read.
Characters-8
One of the best things about Nell of Gumbling was the characters. I loved the characters and how diverse and different they were. Nell had an interesting family dynamic with her two dads, and I loved their little family. There was also the edition of her sister’s duck which added a fun dynamic. Myra was Nell’s best friend, and she was my favorite character because she was a fairy. Gilligan was an interesting character because he was small and similar to a fairy, and lived in a tree stump. Violet was fun because of the journey she went on through the book, and I’ve always loved horses and music. No matter what you’re looking for, you’re sure to find a character that you enjoy in this book.
Atmosphere-9
Gumbling was an interesting place to read about, and I loved seeing how the world was built. The map at the front of the book was helpful because it shows you all the locations, so you can see how far things are from one another. The locations and atmosphere in the book were typical for a fantasy, a school for the kids, a community center, an inn, and a theater, but it was interesting to see how the world flowed with the story.
Plot-9
Nell of Gumbling had an interesting story because the kids in Nell’s class do an apprenticeship, and have a mentor for school credit. As an artist, Nell knew who she wanted to be her mentor, but her teacher had other plans. Nell learns to love Lore Keeping and ends up using her skill set. Nell of Gumblig was also a journey of self-discovery, and Nell found out about herself, her town, and her purpose.
Writing-8
Diary entries were a great way to tell this story. As a reader, I was learning about what was going on in Nell’s head, and how she felt about certain situations. You also saw the story as it was unfolding, from someone who was experiencing it for the first time. Adding the input from her friends so the reader knows about how they feel as well added to the overall reading experience.
Art-9
As a graphic novel, Nell of Gumbling was also told through art. I loved the art style in the book, and I thought it added to the overall story. I loved the color pallet used in the book.
Overall, Nell of Gumbling was an enjoyable Middle-Grade Fantasy read.
Characters-8
One of the best things about Nell of Gumbling was the characters. I loved the characters and how diverse and different they were. Nell had an interesting family dynamic with her two dads, and I loved their little family. There was also the edition of her sister’s duck which added a fun dynamic. Myra was Nell’s best friend, and she was my favorite character because she was a fairy. Gilligan was an interesting character because he was small and similar to a fairy, and lived in a tree stump. Violet was fun because of the journey she went on through the book, and I’ve always loved horses and music. No matter what you’re looking for, you’re sure to find a character that you enjoy in this book.
Atmosphere-9
Gumbling was an interesting place to read about, and I loved seeing how the world was built. The map at the front of the book was helpful because it shows you all the locations, so you can see how far things are from one another. The locations and atmosphere in the book were typical for a fantasy, a school for the kids, a community center, an inn, and a theater, but it was interesting to see how the world flowed with the story.
Plot-9
Nell of Gumbling had an interesting story because the kids in Nell’s class do an apprenticeship, and have a mentor for school credit. As an artist, Nell knew who she wanted to be her mentor, but her teacher had other plans. Nell learns to love Lore Keeping and ends up using her skill set. Nell of Gumblig was also a journey of self-discovery, and Nell found out about herself, her town, and her purpose.
Writing-8
Diary entries were a great way to tell this story. As a reader, I was learning about what was going on in Nell’s head, and how she felt about certain situations. You also saw the story as it was unfolding, from someone who was experiencing it for the first time. Adding the input from her friends so the reader knows about how they feel as well added to the overall reading experience.
Art-9
As a graphic novel, Nell of Gumbling was also told through art. I loved the art style in the book, and I thought it added to the overall story. I loved the color pallet used in the book.
Read
October 21, 2023This was a fun, whimsical read! I had mixed feelings about the format, which was like a mix of a graphic novel and a diary-style epistolary novel. I personally would have preferred it to just be a graphic novel because I felt like the diary entries interrupted the flow/pacing a bit and halted the momentum. But Nell was a really lovable character with such a distinct voice! I'm definitely looking forward to more in the land of Gumbling.
July 20, 2024
Nell of Gumbling by Emma Steinkellner
this graphic was so cute I can’t wait to share this book with my future kid. The graphics are so cute I can’t. This book follows Nell as she navigates seventh grade and starts a new apprenticeship. It doesn’t quite go as planned when she doesn’t get the one she wants. Little does she knows she’s about to go on an adventure. I love this book, I need book 2 nowww.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
this graphic was so cute I can’t wait to share this book with my future kid. The graphics are so cute I can’t. This book follows Nell as she navigates seventh grade and starts a new apprenticeship. It doesn’t quite go as planned when she doesn’t get the one she wants. Little does she knows she’s about to go on an adventure. I love this book, I need book 2 nowww.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 22, 2023
This cover :).
So fun! What a great new world Emma Steinkellner has created! The details !!! Are what make this shine. The world building was my favorite part of this.
Spunky MC and her cast of friends is also fun, love the grouchy ladies feature, and her two dads :). Yay casual queerness all over.
Looking forward to sharing this with some kiddos! It’s different than anything else on the market so I’m excited to share that with them.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
So fun! What a great new world Emma Steinkellner has created! The details !!! Are what make this shine. The world building was my favorite part of this.
Spunky MC and her cast of friends is also fun, love the grouchy ladies feature, and her two dads :). Yay casual queerness all over.
Looking forward to sharing this with some kiddos! It’s different than anything else on the market so I’m excited to share that with them.
Thanks to Netgalley & the publishers for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2024
This felt a bit dumbed down; I get that it's a book aimed for kids, but if you assume kids are idiots and therefore don't bother to challenge them, then they'll never have a reason to learn. The overall storytelling and art was lovely, though
January 16, 2025
This book was a little weird for me but it did hold my interest. The kids must go on a quest to save their town and they learn the importance of knowing your history and the stories that were told by those who came before.
February 23, 2024
Nell of Gumbling
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (4.5/5) or 9.14/10 overall
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 10
Writing - 9
Plot - 9
Intrigue - 9
Logic - 9
Enjoyment - 9
Overall Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ .5 (4.5/5) or 9.14/10 overall
Characters - 9
Atmosphere - 10
Writing - 9
Plot - 9
Intrigue - 9
Logic - 9
Enjoyment - 9
January 19, 2026
Recommended by Sadie. Interesting messages about capitalism and community. My favorite character was the exuberant little sister and her goose.
June 8, 2023
I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For twelve-year-old Nell, living in Gumbling has always meant home and family. With her faerie friend, Myra, and her small-sized friend Gil, Nell enjoys art and comics. But when she's apprenticed to the lore keeper, Nell is disappointed she didn't get her first choice. Then some strangers visit Gumbling, saying they are the descendants of the magical town. So, it's up to Nell and friends to find the lost key of Gumbling in time before it's too late. And can Nell connect to lore-keeping by the end of her story?
This graphic novel was lots of fun! Written in a diary-like format and a graphic novel way, it was a fresh take on comics. I adored the friendships of Nell, even her archnemesis too. Her drawings are cute, and her relationship with Mrs. Birdneck is endearing. Nell grew up in character and matured along the way. The mystery behind the lost key and the scavenger hunt was fascinating. Another hit by Emma Steinkellner.
For twelve-year-old Nell, living in Gumbling has always meant home and family. With her faerie friend, Myra, and her small-sized friend Gil, Nell enjoys art and comics. But when she's apprenticed to the lore keeper, Nell is disappointed she didn't get her first choice. Then some strangers visit Gumbling, saying they are the descendants of the magical town. So, it's up to Nell and friends to find the lost key of Gumbling in time before it's too late. And can Nell connect to lore-keeping by the end of her story?
This graphic novel was lots of fun! Written in a diary-like format and a graphic novel way, it was a fresh take on comics. I adored the friendships of Nell, even her archnemesis too. Her drawings are cute, and her relationship with Mrs. Birdneck is endearing. Nell grew up in character and matured along the way. The mystery behind the lost key and the scavenger hunt was fascinating. Another hit by Emma Steinkellner.
September 13, 2023
Nell Starkeeper isn’t exaggerating when she claims her life is extremely normal. Despite her fairy-tale surroundings, she lives a very relatable life. Maybe your best friend isn’t a fairy and your dads do not run a star farm, but you’ve probably experienced disappointment, jealousy, uncooperative hair, and folks who would profit off of your community/members.
Nell of Gumbling is told in the format of diary-graphic novel hybrid. The record is an effort to practice her craft: visual art in comics form. She’s also hoping to create something museum-worthy for when she becomes a famous artiste, like local idol Wiz Bravo. Where previous attempts to journal left her bored, Nell is sure that her apprenticeship with Wiz will provide content worth archiving.
Nell doesn’t get that apprenticeship—the girl who is better at everything does—but Nell does find plenty of things to write about. One: how disappointed she is to be assigned a woman who looked “like a lady in a portrait in a haunted house” (22) and works out of the old castle dungeon. Two: “rude tourists” (31).
Nell’s disappointment in her assigned apprenticeship creates a strain with her two closest friends who were assigned their first choices.
“Good friends make disappointment easier to take. They’ll try to get you to feel better and help you have fun. But it’s probably hard to be a friend when something good happens to you and not to your friend. I’m afraid Myra and Gil feel like they have to do all this extra work so I’ll feel better. But I don’t know how to tell them I don’t need that.
Why is talking to your friends the simplest thing in the world sometimes, and then other times, there’s nothing more confusing?” (42)
Best friend Myra tries until Nell becomes that much of a downer. “It’s been a couple weeks, and I’m getting a little sick of hearing how awful your apprenticeship is. [….] I just think you could make over your attitude.”(52)
Fortunately for us, Nell’s disappointment isn’t a downer for the reader, because one: we’re experiencing Nell’s apprenticeship with her, and two: there are other things going on. Nell tapes artifacts on the pages like surveys, stories, menus… We spend time with Nell’s very charming family. And then there is the matter of the “rude tourists.”
The tourists in question, “Wet Nails” and “Teeth,” are looking to develop Gumbling into a destination called Castleworld. They will claim to be lost heirs to the throne (that politically no longer exists) to do it. Now this is a situation that should ease Nell and Myra’s strained relationship by bringing them back together over a shared purpose, but it doesn’t. When it comes to figuring out how to respond to the threat Castleworld presents, Nell feels inadequate. Myra can’t be bothered and finds an equally passionate ally in Leabelle. Nell feels replaced (again).
“Should I help, or should I listen” (108)? Nell of Gumbling is rich with relationship wisdom. It models some healthy conversations with parents and teachers, and even with the self. The hard conversations between friends and would-be friends feel authentic in their discomfort. Steinkellner does well in her differentiation between the adult-child conversations and those between young peers—and within each there is variation. I love the hard-won evolution of Nell’s relationship with Mrs. Birdneck.
The only thing to come together with any seeming ease is the book’s climax. It would feel convenient if Steinkellner hadn’t seeded the novel so well. All the pieces (the characters and their experiences) click into place—Nell’s the most impressively of them all. But that isn’t to say there wasn’t a twist and nice complication.
Steinkellner writes complicated well and illustrates it beautifully. I love her noses, and hair; the postures and facial expressions. I like the variety in bodies and skin-tones and personalities. The tales within the tale are lovely, and the puzzles are top-notch. Just as the tales/histories and their artifacts are worth telling and recording, Steinkellner creates the same effect with Nell of Gumbling. The things we can learn from her novel vary: finding our place may take time; not everything or -one is as they seem at first; everyone has something to bring to the table (or a cool 100-year-old puzzle); cultures and people are not to be exploited; “the only people who win if we feel too shy or too unqualified or too unimportant to fight are people like the Greatman-Bigbys” (106); friendships can be complicated; and celadon is 0.2% grayer than verdigris which is 0.6% bluer than celadon (50).
Stainkellner writes an exchange between Nell and her Pa where she tells him that she thinks she didn’t get the apprenticeship with Wiz Bravo because “I’m bad at art. A kid at school said my art wasn’t ‘realistic’.” (It was Voila Lala who said it, and yes, the naming in this novel is brilliant.) Pa replies, “I think your drawings have a lot of realism to them. You capture things the way you see them and create a world that is vibrant and interesting and funny and unmistakably made by you.” (18). This is Nell of Gumbling: vibrant and interesting and funny and unmistakable.
+
Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life has the realism that should appeal to contemporary fiction readers who love friendship, family, and school drama as well as food. Fantasy readers will adore the imaginative world and those who populate it. The artwork (style and palette) is really appealing. It’s a great novel to tempt prose and comic -readers into trying something different; though I think comic-readers will have the easier time navigating the novel. Nell of Gumbling would be a fantastic choice for middle-grade book clubs.
Something I really appreciate about how Emma Steinkellner approaches the prose-comic hybrid is how she gives us both descriptive text and visual representation. Nell of Gumbling could be a fun option for visual literacy or practicing metaphors and similes (e.g. “Her neck reminds me of violin strings”(22).)
+
Noted: We get bonus content of more tales told in comic form; tales referred to in the novel.
Representation: diverse in sizes, shapes, skin tones; has gay dads, intergenerational relationships, and class difference.
Thank you Netgalley and Labyrinth Road for the eARC for review.
Nell of Gumbling is told in the format of diary-graphic novel hybrid. The record is an effort to practice her craft: visual art in comics form. She’s also hoping to create something museum-worthy for when she becomes a famous artiste, like local idol Wiz Bravo. Where previous attempts to journal left her bored, Nell is sure that her apprenticeship with Wiz will provide content worth archiving.
Nell doesn’t get that apprenticeship—the girl who is better at everything does—but Nell does find plenty of things to write about. One: how disappointed she is to be assigned a woman who looked “like a lady in a portrait in a haunted house” (22) and works out of the old castle dungeon. Two: “rude tourists” (31).
Nell’s disappointment in her assigned apprenticeship creates a strain with her two closest friends who were assigned their first choices.
“Good friends make disappointment easier to take. They’ll try to get you to feel better and help you have fun. But it’s probably hard to be a friend when something good happens to you and not to your friend. I’m afraid Myra and Gil feel like they have to do all this extra work so I’ll feel better. But I don’t know how to tell them I don’t need that.
Why is talking to your friends the simplest thing in the world sometimes, and then other times, there’s nothing more confusing?” (42)
Best friend Myra tries until Nell becomes that much of a downer. “It’s been a couple weeks, and I’m getting a little sick of hearing how awful your apprenticeship is. [….] I just think you could make over your attitude.”(52)
Fortunately for us, Nell’s disappointment isn’t a downer for the reader, because one: we’re experiencing Nell’s apprenticeship with her, and two: there are other things going on. Nell tapes artifacts on the pages like surveys, stories, menus… We spend time with Nell’s very charming family. And then there is the matter of the “rude tourists.”
The tourists in question, “Wet Nails” and “Teeth,” are looking to develop Gumbling into a destination called Castleworld. They will claim to be lost heirs to the throne (that politically no longer exists) to do it. Now this is a situation that should ease Nell and Myra’s strained relationship by bringing them back together over a shared purpose, but it doesn’t. When it comes to figuring out how to respond to the threat Castleworld presents, Nell feels inadequate. Myra can’t be bothered and finds an equally passionate ally in Leabelle. Nell feels replaced (again).
“Should I help, or should I listen” (108)? Nell of Gumbling is rich with relationship wisdom. It models some healthy conversations with parents and teachers, and even with the self. The hard conversations between friends and would-be friends feel authentic in their discomfort. Steinkellner does well in her differentiation between the adult-child conversations and those between young peers—and within each there is variation. I love the hard-won evolution of Nell’s relationship with Mrs. Birdneck.
The only thing to come together with any seeming ease is the book’s climax. It would feel convenient if Steinkellner hadn’t seeded the novel so well. All the pieces (the characters and their experiences) click into place—Nell’s the most impressively of them all. But that isn’t to say there wasn’t a twist and nice complication.
Steinkellner writes complicated well and illustrates it beautifully. I love her noses, and hair; the postures and facial expressions. I like the variety in bodies and skin-tones and personalities. The tales within the tale are lovely, and the puzzles are top-notch. Just as the tales/histories and their artifacts are worth telling and recording, Steinkellner creates the same effect with Nell of Gumbling. The things we can learn from her novel vary: finding our place may take time; not everything or -one is as they seem at first; everyone has something to bring to the table (or a cool 100-year-old puzzle); cultures and people are not to be exploited; “the only people who win if we feel too shy or too unqualified or too unimportant to fight are people like the Greatman-Bigbys” (106); friendships can be complicated; and celadon is 0.2% grayer than verdigris which is 0.6% bluer than celadon (50).
Stainkellner writes an exchange between Nell and her Pa where she tells him that she thinks she didn’t get the apprenticeship with Wiz Bravo because “I’m bad at art. A kid at school said my art wasn’t ‘realistic’.” (It was Voila Lala who said it, and yes, the naming in this novel is brilliant.) Pa replies, “I think your drawings have a lot of realism to them. You capture things the way you see them and create a world that is vibrant and interesting and funny and unmistakably made by you.” (18). This is Nell of Gumbling: vibrant and interesting and funny and unmistakable.
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Nell of Gumbling: My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life has the realism that should appeal to contemporary fiction readers who love friendship, family, and school drama as well as food. Fantasy readers will adore the imaginative world and those who populate it. The artwork (style and palette) is really appealing. It’s a great novel to tempt prose and comic -readers into trying something different; though I think comic-readers will have the easier time navigating the novel. Nell of Gumbling would be a fantastic choice for middle-grade book clubs.
Something I really appreciate about how Emma Steinkellner approaches the prose-comic hybrid is how she gives us both descriptive text and visual representation. Nell of Gumbling could be a fun option for visual literacy or practicing metaphors and similes (e.g. “Her neck reminds me of violin strings”(22).)
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Noted: We get bonus content of more tales told in comic form; tales referred to in the novel.
Representation: diverse in sizes, shapes, skin tones; has gay dads, intergenerational relationships, and class difference.
Thank you Netgalley and Labyrinth Road for the eARC for review.
June 12, 2025
I loved the okay witch and this was just as good!
January 26, 2026
I found this to be a very charming middle grade graphic novel. I'm drawn to fairy-tales and the fairy-tale world imagined was cute, relatable to modern audiences with the modern themse of bringing in developers - however it retains good old-fashioned fairy-tale values.
The story is very character focussed. We meet Nell of Gumbling and the book is Nell's journal.
The book is also pretty slow-paced and takes it's time letting us explore the world and the characters. That's fine since it's pretty imaginative, but we don't get a huge amount of action. It's more like enjoying yourself wandering around Gumbling. Do you like the idea of imagining yourself eating at the Third Wish cafe? Then read the menu and think about what you'd choose. That sort of thing.
Nell is apprenticed to Birdneck, not her idea of a great apprenticeship, and the real action comes later when developers saying they're related to royalty in Gumbling want to change the town. Nell and her friends want to see what they can do to keep things as they are.
The story is predictable, a little uneven in pacing, and the characters are lovable but not surprising.
I liked the style of the drawing, simple and expressive, and the bright colours made it really engaging. The journal style and the little interruptions of tales and notes made the book more like a little scrapbook and treasure trove to unravel rather than a story you felt you had to read through because every word kept you hanging. It was a world you wanted to explore rather than needing to get to the end because you "had to know".
Still it was a very enjoyable journey and the quality illustrations, the little details of the world and the imagination made it a place worth visiting. I could see myself visiting Nell's Gumbling again.
The story is very character focussed. We meet Nell of Gumbling and the book is Nell's journal.
The book is also pretty slow-paced and takes it's time letting us explore the world and the characters. That's fine since it's pretty imaginative, but we don't get a huge amount of action. It's more like enjoying yourself wandering around Gumbling. Do you like the idea of imagining yourself eating at the Third Wish cafe? Then read the menu and think about what you'd choose. That sort of thing.
Nell is apprenticed to Birdneck, not her idea of a great apprenticeship, and the real action comes later when developers saying they're related to royalty in Gumbling want to change the town. Nell and her friends want to see what they can do to keep things as they are.
The story is predictable, a little uneven in pacing, and the characters are lovable but not surprising.
I liked the style of the drawing, simple and expressive, and the bright colours made it really engaging. The journal style and the little interruptions of tales and notes made the book more like a little scrapbook and treasure trove to unravel rather than a story you felt you had to read through because every word kept you hanging. It was a world you wanted to explore rather than needing to get to the end because you "had to know".
Still it was a very enjoyable journey and the quality illustrations, the little details of the world and the imagination made it a place worth visiting. I could see myself visiting Nell's Gumbling again.
September 2, 2023
𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🦄 love magical creatures of all sorts
📖 enjoy comic strips
🏰 have a castle in your hometown
⭐️ use stars to power your city
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
To everyone else, the Magical Land of Gumbling is something out of fairy tales. But to Nell Starkeeper, it’s just home. Sure, the town community center might be a castle, her dads run a star farm, and her best friend Myra is a fairy, but Nell is much more interested in finding out if she’ll get the seventh grade apprenticeship of her dreams with world-famous artist Wiz Bravo.
She’s pretty sure her entire life has been RUINED when she’s instead matched with boring old Mrs. Birdneck in the town archives. And of course her perfect rival Leabelle gets to work with Wiz, and mean girl Viola won’t let Nell forget it. Meanwhile, suddenly Myra seems more into hanging out with Leabelle and saving the town from some weird strangers who keep talking about turning Gumbling into a fancy resort than being friends with Nell anymore. Can Nell find a way to save everything that makes her world magical, while figuring out where she belongs in it?
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was such a cute read that I ended up reading it in just a few short hours! I loved Nell! She was very relatable in so many ways, including her attitude about several things. I loved seeing her grow throughout the story though. I also loved that the bad guys were people you would never suspect, especially in a fairytale world! The pictures were all super cute and helped the story progress in a really fun way. Kids and adults alike will love Nell and the stories about Gumbling! I hope to see a second book soon!
🦄 love magical creatures of all sorts
📖 enjoy comic strips
🏰 have a castle in your hometown
⭐️ use stars to power your city
• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓
To everyone else, the Magical Land of Gumbling is something out of fairy tales. But to Nell Starkeeper, it’s just home. Sure, the town community center might be a castle, her dads run a star farm, and her best friend Myra is a fairy, but Nell is much more interested in finding out if she’ll get the seventh grade apprenticeship of her dreams with world-famous artist Wiz Bravo.
She’s pretty sure her entire life has been RUINED when she’s instead matched with boring old Mrs. Birdneck in the town archives. And of course her perfect rival Leabelle gets to work with Wiz, and mean girl Viola won’t let Nell forget it. Meanwhile, suddenly Myra seems more into hanging out with Leabelle and saving the town from some weird strangers who keep talking about turning Gumbling into a fancy resort than being friends with Nell anymore. Can Nell find a way to save everything that makes her world magical, while figuring out where she belongs in it?
• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒
This was such a cute read that I ended up reading it in just a few short hours! I loved Nell! She was very relatable in so many ways, including her attitude about several things. I loved seeing her grow throughout the story though. I also loved that the bad guys were people you would never suspect, especially in a fairytale world! The pictures were all super cute and helped the story progress in a really fun way. Kids and adults alike will love Nell and the stories about Gumbling! I hope to see a second book soon!
August 31, 2023
I received an electronic ARC from Random House Children's Publishing through NetGalley.
Readers meet Nell who lives in a town filled with magical people. She shares her life with us as journal entries. We meet her family and her two best friends along with other classmates to begin the story. She also includes a map of their town - Gumbling. All of this is to emphasize how normal everyone is no matter what species they are part of. Nell, Myra and Gil are excited and waiting for their class apprenticeship assignments. Myra and Gil are thrilled with theirs and Nell is crushed by hers. Now that Steinkellner has set the stage, readers dive in to see how the story unfolds. There are wonderful characters as expected in fairy tales and an evil force wanting to take over their town. Magic is studied and considered to help in the fight to save their town.
I appreciate the matter of fact way Nell shares her story and brings readers along on the adventures. Readers will connect with her friendship struggles and insecurities and celebrate when she finds her confidence and learns to appreciate her own gifts. The title says it all - this is a normal set of characters who happen to belong to a variety of species who love their home and do their best to get along.
Readers meet Nell who lives in a town filled with magical people. She shares her life with us as journal entries. We meet her family and her two best friends along with other classmates to begin the story. She also includes a map of their town - Gumbling. All of this is to emphasize how normal everyone is no matter what species they are part of. Nell, Myra and Gil are excited and waiting for their class apprenticeship assignments. Myra and Gil are thrilled with theirs and Nell is crushed by hers. Now that Steinkellner has set the stage, readers dive in to see how the story unfolds. There are wonderful characters as expected in fairy tales and an evil force wanting to take over their town. Magic is studied and considered to help in the fight to save their town.
I appreciate the matter of fact way Nell shares her story and brings readers along on the adventures. Readers will connect with her friendship struggles and insecurities and celebrate when she finds her confidence and learns to appreciate her own gifts. The title says it all - this is a normal set of characters who happen to belong to a variety of species who love their home and do their best to get along.
November 16, 2023
This is a charming little story about a charming little place. Gumbling is a magical village, and its denizens include tiny people, fairies, snotty centaur girls, and Nell, whose dads are keepers of the stars, which provide energy. All the kids in Nell's 7th grade class are assigned their first apprenticeships, and Nell, an aspiring artist, hopes to be paired with the town's most famous artiste, but instead she winds up in the gloomy, dusty archives with Mrs Birdneck. When some developers come nosing around Gumbling, claiming ancestry with the last king of the land, Nell and her friends must draw on their own powers, of friendship and devotion (putting away their own pre-adolescent angst), as well as all the skills and lore they are learning during their apprenticeships, to save their town. This is a middle-grade graphic novel, so it's not hard to figure out what's going on, and how the story will resolve, but it is still entertaining, with clever plotlines and world-building, as well as fun illustrations. I expect this will be a story that continues on, so maybe I'll pick up future volumes, and follow Nell's story.
March 15, 2025
My first impression of this book was that it was absolutely not written for 54 year old eyes. Holy heck, there were lots of maps with crazy tiny writing. I didn't think I would enjoy the book due to eyestrain.
But after the intro there was significantly less crazy tiny type and the story really picked up.
I ended up really loving this book.
There was so much in this book to love: BIPOC characters, main character with two dads, a disappointing apprenticeship with a grouchy mentor, jealousy over a best friend finding new interests/friendships, annoying siblings, and a loud goose named Schmugly. Oh, and we can't forget trying to save the town from evil developers, hidden passages, treasure hunts, and learning to grow and change and accept new things.
There was a solid resolution to every problem, but it was not heavy handed in any way. And at the end the author included several fairy tales of the history of Gumbling which were very cute.
I definitely plan to read the second book.
But after the intro there was significantly less crazy tiny type and the story really picked up.
I ended up really loving this book.
There was so much in this book to love: BIPOC characters, main character with two dads, a disappointing apprenticeship with a grouchy mentor, jealousy over a best friend finding new interests/friendships, annoying siblings, and a loud goose named Schmugly. Oh, and we can't forget trying to save the town from evil developers, hidden passages, treasure hunts, and learning to grow and change and accept new things.
There was a solid resolution to every problem, but it was not heavy handed in any way. And at the end the author included several fairy tales of the history of Gumbling which were very cute.
I definitely plan to read the second book.
June 24, 2025
I thought I would love this middle grade book. It looks like a fantasy graphic novel but is in the form of a journal and extremely text-heavy. It's fairly long and definitely needed chapters or some sort of sections to break it up. The story, about greedy real estate developers wanting to buy up land in a charming old community, could have easily been set in a human, rather than fantasy world. I felt taken in by the fairy tale elements that ended up being there really just as window dressing! And when the characters themselves are complaining that they don't understand all the legal and corporate lingo, and that it is boring, that should be a clue that it's boring for the reader, too. I really cannot imagine a 10 year old wading through bequests and civic law when I barely made it through.
Then you have friend drama and messaging about the importance of libraries. It was just a LOT. Very cute art, though, I love the representation of a family with two dads presented with no commentary, just normal, and the wild little sister with her pet goose made me laugh!
Then you have friend drama and messaging about the importance of libraries. It was just a LOT. Very cute art, though, I love the representation of a family with two dads presented with no commentary, just normal, and the wild little sister with her pet goose made me laugh!
April 27, 2023
This book was magical. It’s part graphic novel, part, heavily illustrated middle grade fantasy. Knell lives on a star farm. Her best friend is a fairy, her second-best friend is a thumbkin, and the school know it all is a centaur. They were all getting ready to start new apprenticeships. Nell wants to be an artist however, her teacher assigned her to work with the Lore keeper. This book is expository in nature as it’s told in journal entries, and it’s very well done. The reader keeps flipping pages not only because they can feel and understand the way Nell is feeling, but you want to know what’s happening in this unique town. When some strangers come to town saying they’re descendants of the king, and they want to make this a new roller coaster loving tourist attraction, it’s up to Knell, and her friends find information and the keys to the kingdom to keep the new people out. This was a fun and loving book and I really truly hope that there is a sequel.
June 15, 2024
I’ve always been a pretty big fan of Emma Steinkellner’s work in the past and so I thought I would really love Nell of Gumbling, In truth, I find that the book is pretty fantastic for middlegrade readers and one that I’m certain a great many kids will both relate to and be better for reading—but I was personally a little bored. There were a lot of great aspects to this book that makes it an incredibly easy decision to add it to my list of book recommendations for my students, from care and inclusivity to learning and activism.
My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life is largely centered around learning and activism. Nell begins her journey with a thorough lack of understanding for her assignment and the importance of collective history. She knows and cares about community, but doesn’t fully understand the scope of what it all means. Her journey, largely involves garnering a healthy relationship with both her world’s history and its future. She learns about standing up for what’s important and navigates both new relationships and changes to old relationships. It is, at its core, a story of development.
The story is goofy and fun from start to finish. The characters are all generally well-likable and I think many readers will feel themselves growing alongside them.
I’d definitely recommend Nell of Gubling to many, though I probably wouldn’t find myself rereading it any time soon.
My Extremely Normal Fairy-Tale Life is largely centered around learning and activism. Nell begins her journey with a thorough lack of understanding for her assignment and the importance of collective history. She knows and cares about community, but doesn’t fully understand the scope of what it all means. Her journey, largely involves garnering a healthy relationship with both her world’s history and its future. She learns about standing up for what’s important and navigates both new relationships and changes to old relationships. It is, at its core, a story of development.
The story is goofy and fun from start to finish. The characters are all generally well-likable and I think many readers will feel themselves growing alongside them.
I’d definitely recommend Nell of Gubling to many, though I probably wouldn’t find myself rereading it any time soon.
November 27, 2024
12 yo Nell and her classmates live in a special little magical town called Gumbling. They are about to start their apprenticeships and Nell wants to be paired with the town artist since she loves to draw. Instead she’s stuck with the town archivist/lorekeeper. After a lot of complaining she ends up enjoying learning about the history of her town. And just in time, as two scummy developers who claim to be heirs to the throne show up to try to convince the town to become a tourist trap called castle world.
There’s a lot going on in this story, which is told in the form of a journal. Though it looks like a graphic novel there is a lot of text throughout giving lots of explanations and backstory. There’s a lot of world building, but for me it took too long for anything interesting to happen. I think kids who like fantasy and fairy tales will like it, but it’s not going to be a go to recommendation of mine.
There’s a lot going on in this story, which is told in the form of a journal. Though it looks like a graphic novel there is a lot of text throughout giving lots of explanations and backstory. There’s a lot of world building, but for me it took too long for anything interesting to happen. I think kids who like fantasy and fairy tales will like it, but it’s not going to be a go to recommendation of mine.
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