I liked the little mysteries in this book - wondering if artwork was being copied and the mystery of her father. It was a little slow at times for students, I think.

I did like the representation of having a mother with depression and how that feels as a kid.

I did buy this book for my library and I would recommend it. Thank you!

Art and color are fundamental to this story about a young artist named Olympia, daughter of two artists. After her dad mysteriously disappears and her mom’s depression confines her to bed, Olympia bravely tries to hide her home situation from adults while investigating her father’s location. Fortunately, her friends love Olympia so much that they are willing to make her mad and tell trusted adults so that Olympia’s mom can get help. It’s a portrait of friends who are family plus a story that shows the real challenges that come when you have a parent who is depressed.

All the Greys on Greene Street was a fun middle grade mystery that is also about the importance of confiding in others and asking for help when the adults in your life become unreliable. It is a book I will definitely recommend to my 3rd - 5th grade students.

Olly lives with her artist mom and dad in a Soho loft in 1981. Dad has run off to France with a new girlfriend and mom has gone to bed with no intention of getting up. Olly relies on her friends Richard and Alex and a network of adults to help her out. Of course she doesn't tell them about her mom or how difficult life at home has become. It doesn't help that a mysteries man is trying to contact her dad and his partner Apollo about a missing piece of art. There is a lot going on for one young girl to keep track of.

I enjoyed this story but thought it was a bit over long. I think a bunch could have been cut out of the middle or consolidated to make the story flow a bit better. I loved the 1980s New York setting and all the information on the art scene at that time. I also loved that Olly is very artistic as well and has a great group of friends to rely on. I do wish the ending hadn't been so "tragic". Not sure why there needed to be that much drama. I did think there was a good discussion about depression at the end though.

All the Greys on Greene Street is a quiet middle grade novel with a story that resonates long after reading it. The story takes place in the early 1980's New York, and the hints to the time period are subtle, while Tucker's writing immerses the reader directly into New York.

Olympia, known as Ollie to her friends, is a budding artist who lives with her artist mother and her art restorer father. Her life seems perfect, until her father disappears and her mother hides. Ollie keeps her mother's behavior a secret from everyone, including her father's business partner, Apollo and her friends Alex and Richard. She attempts to care for herself and her mother, but when Richard notices her struggle, she swears him to secrecy. When a stranger arrives looking for her father, she decides to unravel the mystery to her father's disappearance, hoping to get him to return and her mother back. After a near disaster, Ollie can no longer keep her mother's behavior a secret, and she finally receives the answers she for which she has been searching.

I thought Tucker did a fantastic job portraying Ollie, her decisions, and feelings as she navigates her new "normal." Her decisions are realistic to what a twelve year old might do to "carry on." She has essentially been abandoned by both her parents and cannot understand the change her life has gone through. I would recommend this book to any middle school aged child looking for realistic fiction.

I really enjoyed this book. The story is sweet, sad, tug-at-your-heartstrings good, and it made me feel connected to it in so many ways. The characters are well developed and complex, believable and real. I enjoyed the quirks of each character, and enjoyed learning about the SoHo artist community. The language of the book was lovely and flowed nicely, poetic at times without getting sappy. I especially appreciated the treatment of Olympia's mother's depression- it was handled well. My mother had major depression also, and it can be a difficult thing for a child to deal with; I did a lot of taking care of myself- not to the extent Olympia did, but enough to get a feel for what she was going through, it felt familiar. There is an author's note about depression at the end of the book that speaks in a gentle and non-condescending tone to kids, giving advice on how to seek help. A great book, definitely recommended.

#AllTheGreysOnGreeneStreet #NetGalley

From the very first page, the description in this book is vividly beautiful and the artsy wording is worthy of the artistic characters and lifestyles portrayed. The voice of the narrator feels authentic and true. You can really feel what each character is feeling and understand what they are going through, and it tugs at the heartstrings. The writing begs the reader to keep turning the page. Ultimately, though the circumstances facing the characters are challenging and grim, Laura Tucker did indeed "make something beautiful out of something awful" in the lives of her characters.

Set in 1981 in New York City, Tucker's book explores how one action can change a person's life entirely. In this case, Ollie's dad leaves for France in the middle of the night. Ollie's mother retreats to her room, leaving Ollie and her friends to solve the real mystery. Filled with art, friendship, and magic, this book is a wonderful read.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

Set in 1981, 12-year-old Olympia lives with her depressed mom. Her Art Restorer dad fled to France in the middle of the night. Dealing with her mother’s illness, she must fend for herself while navigating her friendships with Alex and Richard. When she discovers her dad was arguing with his business partner, Apollo, over a wood-carving, the night he disappeared, Olympia thinks this might be the clue she needs to find her dad. Will she succeed? Can she fend for herself and navigate friendships successfully? Full of art and mystery, readers will be pulled into this well-developed, heartwarming plot. Characters are colorful, flawed, and engaging. Dealing well with resilience, loss, courage, friendships, and family, readers will easily relate to its topics. People who like Hunt’s other books as well as mystery, realistic fiction, and friendship stories will enjoy reading this book.

There’s something about middle-grade books that I especially enjoy, a magic that only eleven-and-twelve year olds can deliver. Think the Camden Falls-based “Main Street” series, the Sixty-Eight Rooms, Igraine the Brave, Harry freaking Potter….and this book delivers!

Olympia, aka Ollie, is an excellent narrator. She’s inquisitive, resourceful, and incredibly observant. The power of friendship is especially strong in this book. Alex, Richard, Lady Day, Linda, Apollo, and all of the characters are well written.

The setting is done in a way that is familiar and warm. Olympia is at home, and the way she portrays it is excellent. I’m just saying everything is excellent. I’m sorry, guys.

The length of this book was perfect. It was a middle grade book, but it didn’t feel too short to me or stilted. I wanted to keep reading it to find out what happens next. The mystery aspect is tied in really well.

This book also offers an excellent portray of depression, as seen through a child’s eyes.

All in all, I thought I would enjoy this book, and I definitely did! This was Laura Tucker’s first book, and I really can’t wait for her to write more. I definitely recommend All the Greys on Greene Street 🙂

I received a digital ARC of this book from the publisher through SLJ'S Middle Grade Magic virtual conference in exchange for an honest review. There was a lot I liked about this book. I loved Ollie and think her situation was portrayed in a very real and relatable way. For readers with an interest or background in art, the depth of knowledge and technique were well detailed. I'd love to read a review from a middle grade reader, as my primary criticism was that it was a slower read for me than many in this genre. In the beginning I felt the characters were introduced in away that it took me awhile to keep track of who everyone was to Ollie. It was a book that finished much stronger than it started so I hope middle grade readers stick it out to the end. Both the story and the writing really picked up steam as Ollie left for her trip to the island.