Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Florence is so excited to spend time in Inkwell with her grandfather. Her parents are math people but Florence loves words. Once in Inkwell she makes a bookmark which comes to life. Unfortunately an evil genie takes control of Ben the bookmark during each new cycle of the moon and he turns into an imp. Once Florence and others in the village discover that the imp is destroying books, words, and language they try to figure out how to stop him. In doing so Florence learns of an old rivalry and a new destiny.
This was fun - reminiscent of Phantom Tollbooth and Inkspeel

Nice concept but a poorly executed novel in a lot of ways. Mostly the middle school demo are not likely to find this book engaging if even I found it a bit slow, so although I think it could have been great it fell short for me.

This was a beautiful book! I honestly think it could have been longer. I would have liked to see the story and characters developed just a little bit more ... but I’m also coming off reading a series with 4+ books in it, so maybe I’m just in that mood! The use of language in this book was amazing. It was an enjoyable read!

***Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***
This book teaches us the importance of language. I am exceptionally glad that this is a book geared towards middle-schoolers, as I feel that they could benefit from this fantastic fantasy.

The concept behind this story is lovely and the book has some charms, particularly in terms of the vocabulary used and the way in which the joy of words is conveyed as beyond simple meaning. This is the story of Florence, a young girl who must become the new Word-Keeper to save language from being destroyed. I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. There's a fantasy world set up, but not much attention really given to it and thus leading to questions about plotting and rhythm. Why are there drumming wombats? Why plum trees? Many of these journey plot elements seemed thrown in to attempt to provide some action in the early parts of the book but mostly were just undeveloped. The portions of the book in Inkwell were more interesting, though still underdeveloped. Overall it seemed that the book was supposed to stand out for its quirky nature (or trying to be something that Cathrynne Valente would have written) but sacrificed too much in other areas. For the right advanced child who can appreciate the vocabulary this could be fun as a fairly early chapter book, but the story line is too dull for an older middle grade child for whom the book is more likely intended. It's not a bad book by any means, but there are too many better books (written with a less heavy hand) with similar messages out there.

I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I actually really enjoyed this one. I found myself immediately engrossed in this sweet world that Veronica has created. A magical little book that I think would fit in so well in the classroom setting, one that children will love, but also one that adults love, as I very much did! Everything is so whimsical - from the quirky characters to the imaginative place names. Highly recommend!

I am in love with this book! From the beginning it reminded me of a fable, and I love how traditional fable elements were woven into what I assume is the present time. From crossing treacherous terrain to battling demons (of our own creation?), this book was a masterful work of art.

This is a quirky but powerful first novel from Veronica Del Valle. This tells the journey of Florence and her annual trip to Inkwell. However this year holds something more.
Elements of it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland: a young female protagonist set in faraway lands. That said, it has its own sparkle of originality.
This is a great read for young and older readers, especially for lovers of the chosen one trope.
I liked the simple but bright cover and etched illustrations inside. I wish there were more.
It comes with a lot of wise insights built into the tale, the biggest being the power of words and was executed well. I give this 4*

This was a very enjoyable read and the protagonist was very likable! It's a very recommended middle grade book. A tale of bravery, of the love of words and of their importance in our daily lives.

Thanks to Cameron Publicity & Marketing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased.

I'd like to thank the publisher and netgalley for providing me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very enjoyable read and the protagonist was very likable! It's a very recommended middle grade book.

Thank you so much for this amazing fantasy children’s book (for middle grade students)!
It is literature at its best: a fabulous and original plot (words are disappearing because of an evil genie), it is the modern-day quest of a young girl, eager to save words and books, it is also the story of weird and adorable characters (her parents are mostly interested in maths and leave her be while they are working, going to meetings, her granddad leaves in Inkwell, a magical place where a nice genie, used to help writers be inspired …).
It is also a story in which everything is whimsical (the town of Inkwell, its characters, its street names, etc).
A tale of bravery, of the love of words and of their importance in our daily lives.
A great read for kids and their parents alike! For one, I adored it!

Florence is so excited to spend time in Inkwell with her grandfather. Her parents are math people but Florence loves words. Once in Inkwell she makes a bookmark which comes to life. Unfortunately an evil genie takes control of Ben the bookmark during each new cycle of the moon and he turns into an imp. Once Florence and others in the village discover that the imp is destroying books, words, and language they try to figure out how to stop him. In doing so Florence learns of an old rivalry and a new destiny.
This was fun - reminiscent of Phantom Tollbooth, Inkspell.

I was intrigued by the concept of this book, hoping for something that does for language and words what Flatland did for two dimensional shapes and maths. The Word-Keeper, written by Veronica del Valle, traipsed along at too slow a pace, until the last few chapters. While the various tradespeople of Inkwell interested me, Florence’s roundabout journey to Inkwell didn’t, and my mind had trouble sticking with what I was reading.

It’s certainly a less traditional approach to contemporary middle grade fiction, and that might be just the thing for some readers who are looking for something different. The pages are interspersed with occasional and cute illustrations by Eleanor Hardiman. The story begins with Florence’s life in a regular city at a regular school. After a brief snippet into that life, her trek across a mystical map is reminiscent of Alice’s adventures. After spending the majority of the book in Inkwell dealing with a force determined to ruin all words and books, the return to Florence’s life in the city with her parents feels very jarring.

As a dedicated lifelong reader, I anticipated more of a connection with Florence, the main character who is also a bookworm. And while on the topic of bookworms, what ever happened to Barnaby and Bruno? Was their journey to the tabloids a success?


Thanks to Cameron Publicity & Marketing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. My review is honest and unbiased. #NetGalley #TheWordKeeper

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This is a wonderful use of vocabulary woven throughout the story. I would recommend this as a classroom novel for upper intermediate students to expand their vocabulary base.

I really wanted to like this book. I expected it to be a lovely fairy tale for middle grade bibliophiles, but it is actually quite meandering, confusing, and boring. I was disappointed.

A clever and magical story about the importance of words and language, this is a beautiful book aimed at the middle grade reader, and an impressive debut by author Veronica Del Valle. The setting for the story is the magical village of Inkwell , and our heroine is prodigy and schoolgirl extraordinaire Florence Ibbot . Every year she travels to Inkwell to stay with her Grandfather, and the first thing they do is go to his bookshop so she can choose new books to love. When her bookmark comes to life, she begins to think something unusual is happening but when words start to disappear, not just in her book, but all over Inkwell and beyond, she must discover the secrets of Inkwell and its magical past in order to save the world.
While the story may be simple, it is well told and I admire the decision to include more challenging vocabulary than is found in many books aimed at this age group , not only does it fit the story being told and the characters , it will also challenge the younger reader. Florence is a great character, strong, determined and unwilling to be bullied, and I also really liked many of the supporting characters.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

I thought it was a cool concept, but it took forever to get to the plot and by that time I was bored. I think middle graders would have an even harder time getting into this book.