I have to admit that, not being familiar with this author, I wasn't expecting much. However, gotta tell you, this author knows how to create unforgettable characters with distinct personalities. She totally nails the voice of main character Margaret. Intelligent. Witty. Matter-of-fact. I love the way she analyzes everything.

This story has a Mixed Up Files vibe in that the main character runs away to hide, not in the MET, but in an amusement park called Foreverland. It's the last place Margaret remembers her family being happy and intact. The plot is full of "incidents" that the author spares no ink in describing. Getting past the ticket lady, choking on a hot dog, sleeping in the haunted house, stealing back her backpack. What starts out as a solo venture turns into a partnership when she meets Jaime, a boy doing what she's doing. Living in the park while dodging security. He's an enigma. Mysterious at first, but full of kind-heartedness, just like Maragaret. I loved these two kids. What starts out as a fulfilling of basic needs, getting from one moment to the next, ends up being a life altering lesson in overcoming life's challenges, realizing that most of us over-exaggerate life's challenges and most of us can get through them. With a little help from our friends, that is.

I'm sad that so many talented authors fall through the cracks, while undeserving ones succeed. I don't get it. Maybe it's luck. If so, I hope Kear stumbles upon some.

Because Margaret loves doing acrostics so much, I’ve decided to make my review into one!

(and can I just say- this was WAY more difficult than I thought it would be! Major props to Nicole for writing so many good ones in the book!)

ACROSTIC

Foreverland feels like going

On an adventure back in time, to that exact moment when

Relationships started to change

Everyone and everything around you. Foreverland features

Vanishing friends and

Eating hot dogs and

Roller Coasters and

Laughter

And reading it feels like going home.

Nicole Kear wrote a WONDERFUL book, so be sure you

Don’t miss it!

<!-- wp:paragraph -->
<p>This book is going to be a hit with the middle-grade set. I mean who wouldn't want to spend all their time at a theme park, right? Right? That bit of question is where the story lies and it shows just because something is fun for a while, doesn't always mean it's fun forever. Just like eating too much ice cream. It will make you sick eventually Change is important in life. But Margaret wants to keep her life static, exactly the way it was before she learned her family was changing and middle school became a nightmare.


That puts her on a crash course with Jamie the park's resident runaway, who makes big plans, has connections that involve burgers and ways to get unlimited rides. At first, Margaret is charmed, but Jamie seems to put the forever, in Foreverland. It's like he's been there since the park opened. When she asks about his past it's like he's a whole other person. No one can really live at a theme park forever, can they? But he gets Margaret out of trouble with the captain of security who is after Jamie too.


With the magic of the park on their side and a mysterious but prickly ally. They have to find a way to let go of their pasts go. They to find a way to move on and save Jamie's from the Captain, and see that Margaret gets home safe. While this is going on they learn that while some staying in the past feels like the right thing to do, sometimes you have to let go and embrace the future.

Four out of five stars would totally love to read more from the author!

I am pretty sure now that all the Middle Grade novels out there are purposely built in a way that will make me cry. There’s no other option apart from the inevitability of this whole scheme. And while we are on this topic, can someone explain me HOW IN THE WORLD do all of them somewhere kind of have the same basic structure but pop out so differently and so touching? I will never understand this beauty honestly.

Foreverland was a lot of things – different, touching, adventurous, fun, emotional, scary (in some aspects, yes it was scary) and most of all MAGICAL. They way it ended was also magical… especially the way it ended. Margaret and Jamie were one of a kind, both facing inexplicable changes and troubles in there lives and hence coming to foreverland to spend their time, to have FUN that seems to be missing from their life. There was a hint of mystery laced through the plot because it wasn’t ever explicitly made clear why both of them ran away from their home, their thoughts, feelings and what further they sought from their little runaway adventure (refuge most of all).

The thing that I liked the most about this book was how open-ended it was. The characters somehow never voiced out how they were feeling, it was through their actions that one could understood what was happening to them. And furthermore, it had mental health rep too – ADHD and it wasn’t ever explicitly mentioned but one of the characters did show some symptoms of OCD. Although as it wasn’t directly mentioned anywhere, I cannot draw my conclusion on the subject.

All in all, I really reaallllyyy enjoyed reading this book, and despite the fact that I loved the ending, I did not want to leave the characters and their story behind. This book was very well character driven which I loved with whole my heart ❤ ❤

Trigger Warnings*: Divorce, Death

Note*: I was provided with a free e-copy of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Disclaimer: I received this arc from the publisher. Thanks! All opinions are my own.

Book: Foreverland

Author: Nicole C. Kear

Book Series: Standalone

Rating: 5/5

Recommended For...: mg readers, contemporary lovers

Publication Date: April 21, 2020

Genre: MG Contemporary

Recommended Age: 10+ (fears, running away, some scary moments)

Publisher: Imprint

Pages: 256

Synopsis: Margaret is tired of everything always changing. Middle school has gone from bad to worse. Her best friend is becoming a stranger. And her family—well, it's not even a family anymore.

So Margaret is running away to Foreverland, her favorite amusement park. Hiding out there is trickier than she expects--until she meets Jaime, a thrill-seeking, fast-thinking runaway who teaches Margaret how to stay one step ahead of the captain of security.

At first, this after-hours, all-access pass to the park is a dream come true: sleepovers in the Haunted House, nonstop junk food, and an unlimited ticket to ride. But as the runaways learn each other’s secrets, they must face the reasons they left their normal lives behind. With the Captain closing in and Jaime's future on the line, can Margaret finally take control?

Review: I really liked this book! The book was a great and I loved reading about how Margaret overcame her fears. The book was cute and very age appropriate for middle graders. The book also had well done character development and world building. The plot kept me intrigued in the book throughout the read.

The only thing that slowed my reading down was that there were some slow moments in the book.

Verdict: It was great!

*Thank you NetGalley and publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I really enjoyed this quick summer read. It all started with the GORGEOUS cover.

Margaret's life has been flipped upside down. Up until now, she's had a relatively happy childhood. But middle school is getting worse, her best friend has become distant, and now her family is completely falling apart. She doesn't know how to handle all of these situations other than by running away - to Foreverland Amusement Park. As she is having a great time adventuring through her favorite place, she meets another runaway boy named Jaime. I really loved learning more about this mysterious kid. They go on adventures together in Foreverland until Margaret starts to get homesick, but she also wants to learn more about Jaime's story. What will she decide to do? Stay in Foreverland with Jaime, or go back home to her family?

This was a truly enjoyable middle grade novel that pulled at my heart strings. I think this book will be great for students to connect with - it has very realistic characters and real life issues (escaping life's problems and family problems). It's perfect for kids who enjoy amusement parks and just being a kid. I cannot wait to add this to my classroom library!

This mysterious book is based on an idea that is every kid's dream-running away and living in an amusement park. The two main characters are both running away from family problems and running away is easier than dealing with them. However, it becomes apparent that running away ISN"T going to solve the problems and dealing with them will work better. This is a terrific story.

Margaret's life has been flipped upside down. Her best friend is becoming so distant. Her family is falling apart. She doesn't know how to handle this situation, other than running away.

She does just that. The place she runs away to? Foreverland Amusement Park. Where anyone and everyone can have a magical day. She packed enough money and things she needs in her backpack to allow her to stay for awhile, if needed. As she gets the courage to head into her favorite amusement park, she is overwhelmed as time passes on how exactly she is going to find a place to hide? As she thinks this she keeps seeing the same boy over and over throughout the park. It's like he knows her but she has NO idea who he is. Finally, she meets him, Jamie, face-to-face after a lovely hotdog choking incident and he is a runaway too. He teaches Margaret about the ins and outs of the amusement park, where the security will be at certain times of the day, and how to survive in this magical amusement park.

She overcomes many fears like sleeping in a Haunted House and running away from some "bad guys". As she realizes that running away from home wasn't the best idea, she gets homesick. But Jamie is mysterious and she needs to know more about him. They both have secrets that they need to unfold. When will Margaret go home? Will they ever be a family again?

What is different about this runaway book is that the main setting was of the runaway destination. In this case, an amusement park (which is quite funny to me). As she is having a great time adventuring through her favorite place to be, she meets another runaway boy. It was intriguing to learn more about this mysterious kid. I ended up having a real soft spot for him and I just wanted to learn more just like Margaret did. The ending where he wrote the acrostic poem for Margaret was really touching for me. I think this book will be great for students to connect with - escaping life's problems and family issues. I also enjoyed the acrostic poems that were embedded throughout the story!

I really enjoyed this take on the Peter Pan tale. This modern adaption is great because while the characters are there, it's only a glossing of the original tale, and instead focuses on real contemporary issues that kids go through.

Margaret is mad at her family, there are problems with everyone and she no longer feels like she belongs. She decides that she's going to run away to Foreverland, the last place that her whole family felt happy and together. Margaret has always felt like she is the odd one out in her family, she doesn't like roller coasters, she hates the healthy food her mom makes her eat, she's shy and awkward and is having a hard time at school. When she finds out her parents are getting a divorce, it's the last straw. She doesn't have a big plan, but at least she's going to be gone for a couple of days and make her family realize that they should be together. It's not a smart plan, but it's all she has right now. In Foreverland she runs into this strange boy named Jamie, who seems kind of mystical, as he's always popping in and out of places, and seems to have the run of the whole amusement park. Margaret spends the day riding the same rides over and over again as she figures out where she's going to hide for the night. Only, when she does end up hiding, she makes some mistakes and loses her backpack to the Captain. The Captain is the head of security and is really annoyed that Jaime, or as he calls him, Boy Wonder, refuses to leave the park and somehow keeps ducking his security team. Eventually, Jaime and Margaret team up in order to have a great last day in the park, before she goes home, or before Jaime convinces her to stay forever.

Foreverland focuses on growing up and dealing with not being a little kid anymore. Margaret suffers from panic attacks and is a hypochondriac, she just wants things to be the way they used to be. Jaime has his own issues and just wants to be in the one place that made him feel happy and connected. A truly enjoyable middle grade novel that has realistic characters that actually act their age. A fun and quick read, and perfect for kids who enjoy amusement parks and the desire to stay a kid.

A lot of kids will enjoy Margaret's adventurous trip to Foreverland. The setting is perfect for the story and you can visualize the park itself, down to the not so great elements. I do wish there had been more background on Margaret's home life - I felt like I was piecing it together as the story went along, which I imagine was the intention but a less attentive reader may breeze through her reasons why she escaped to Foreverland. I enjoyed the ending; keeping everything set within the park solidified why this is a book about escaping to an amusement park and that the park itself is a character. The acrostics were a nice touch too.

Have you ever felt like running away from home? Like things are seriously bad and you just have to get away? Like you want to go to punish your family? Meet Margaret - she is tired of things changing all around her so she decides to escape it all! She has lost her best friend and is having to navigate middle school on her own, her sister now has a boyfriend and doesn't have time for her, and she wakes up one morning to find a red suitcase packed by the front door. Margaret is at the end of her rope so when she finds the picture of her family from their trip to Foreverland Amusement Park, she knows just what she has to do. She packs her backpack with essentials like hand sanitizer (she is a serious germaphobe), money, sunscreen, and her favorite stuffed animal. She is supposed to be at a summer camp for computer geeks (which she is not), she buys a train ticket, and makes her way to Foreverland. She is so excited because she gets to ride rides she was never allowed to and she can eat the horrible, unhealthy, but so amazing foods like hot dogs and hamburgers. She is living the life until she accidentally chokes on the hot dog and a boy saves her life. This boy keeps popping up all around her and then he leave an origami flying saucer that has an X marking the spot where they need to meet. Jamie is like no one she has ever met. He has so much energy and knows Foreverland like the back of his hand. Margaret goes through the haunted house and decides the bed in which Dracula lays is the best hiding spot for the night. Things go alright considering she is sleeping in a haunted house, but things go all wrong. She leaves her backpack on the bed and ventures off to the kitchen to see if any of the workers happen to have left some snacks. Just at that moment the head security comes in to turn off the lights and finds her backpack. Now she has no money and no train ticket back home. The next day Jamie takes care of her and Margaret ends up having the time of her life! But Margaret learns that Jamie has a dark side too. Why is he here and who is he running away from? What happens when they are caught by the head of security? Will they be forced to go back home? And will Margaret ever find the truth about Jamie's life? Read this absolutely amazing, incredible, magnificent book for 2020!

This is the first book in a long time that has grabbed my heartstrings and pulled them so tight I thought it would burst! If you've read any of my post then you know I am a fairly slow reader so when I say I read this in less than a twenty-four hour time span, you know it was incredible! I could not put this book down! Margaret and Jamie are two peas in a pod and both have so much going on in their young lives. The friendship that forms between them in such a short time is remarkable. I was NOT ready for this book to end!! DO NOT MISS THIS BOOK!!!

This one is the fun yet bittersweet story of Margaret, who runs away from home to live in the Foreverland amusement park where she meets Jaime, a fellow runaway. It's a fun read, with plenty of details about the amusement park rides, attractions, and greasy food offerings. The narrative is fast-paced (the whole story takes place in just a little over a day). Margaret and Jaime are both well-developed, likable characters, and the slowly unraveling mystery of why the two of them ran away to an amusement park helps to move the story along. Nicole C. Kear also gets the tone right, balancing the excitement and potential of Foreverland with a more melancholy backdrop that Margaret has real problems that she's trying to escape.

I had a hard time suspending disbelief with this one. Margaret is a very cautious, paranoid character who has a panic attack in a rocking ferris wheel car and brings three bottles of hand sanitizer with her to the park, so the premise of her deciding to go live in an amusement park never quite rang true to me. She tells Jaime she won't eat stolen food, yet is perfectly fine with conning the Foreverland staff so she can live in the park forever. There are also still a few plot holes in her and Jaime's lifestyle: where to they shower? How long does Margaret expect to be able to survive on $52? How long, realistically, can they evade capture (presumably there's a security camera or two somewhere on the premises)? I also felt let down by the ending--it was too sudden and glossed over any repercussions for Margaret's ploy.

Overall, it's still a fun read even if the premise doesn't quite work. I think kids will like this one, and it's a good summer pick. 8 to 12. 3.5 stars.

This book had a “From the Mixed Up Files” feel, with the benefit of being located in a place that many kids wish they could spend every day at. It broached both the subject of divorce and death in an approachable manner and in a way that kids often experience and react to those events. The characters were enjoyable.

Margaret is angry with her parents, and decides that the last happy day her family had was at Foreverland, a small and somewhat tacky theme park an hour or so from her home. She decides to run away and live there, bringing along a backpack. She hops the train, pays the admission, and is in. She begins her time with a junk food pig out, but chokes on a hot dog and is saved by a mysterious boy who seems to be following her. This turns out to be Jaime, who is also attempting to live in the park, but whom security is trying to find. Jaime is impressed that Margaret spent the night in Dracula's bed in the Haunted House, and promises to help her get her backpack back from The Captain, who runs the park and almost caught her. The two start to hang out together, going on rides, eating food provided by Jaime's connection Belle, and keeping a low profile. Of course, since the authorities are already looking for Jaime, this is difficult, and when Margaret runs into her former best friend Priya's family, she knows that her time in the park won't last forever, and she helps Jaime make peace with his past so that he can leave the park as well.

Strengths: What tween hasn't wanted to run away from home, especially to live in an amusement park? Like From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler or Newman's One Mixed-Up Night, this is a fun look at what it would be like to try to run away. The haunted house scene is hysterical, and there are deeper issues that Margaret is trying to work through, although they aren't all that heavy. Jaime has sadder issues, but they are lightly addressed. Foreverland is a fun, slightly hokey place that is just the right size for spending a night or two.

Weaknesses: There are some details left out, like washing up and the parents worrying, that could have been included in order to add that lovely air of The Boxcar Children to the portrayal of daily life.

What I really think: Definitely purchasing this one. Not sure how much it will circulate, but I see it being one of those books that is a favorite with the right reader, and a title that will last for a good long time. I personally always planned to run away to the woods behind my aunt's house, because I knew I could break into her garage for food!

I found this book to be somewhat uneven. It was at its best when multiple plot lines intersected and at its worse when the narrator was given pages and pages to drone on about her various rules and inability to fit in with classmates who appear to simply be maturing more swiftly than her. There's also an unsettling lack of conclusion but, given the content explored, perhaps finishing it up with a neat bow would have been both dishonest and in opposition to the messaging within.