I was very excited about this middle grade read. The cover is absolutely beautiful! I loved meeting Mallory and Piper as well as the other group of kids.

Piper is such a wonderful main character. This story reminds me of the Secret Garden but with a modern feel with magic!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Twelve-year-old Piper is going to spend her summer at Mallory Estate, whether she likes it or not. Her father is dying of cancer, her aunt will be gone for the summer, and there's nowhere else to send her. She's not too upset at the thought of seeing her grandmother, who has at least taken her out to eat every year after her birthday and sent her presents, but she has no interest in seeing her mother. She hasn't seen or heard from Sophia for seven years, after she left, and her mother has made no attempt to contact her. Piper doesn't care about the rumors that a witch lives on the estate or that there's some mysterious curse either. She just wants to be with her father, for him to get well, to forget about how she's lost all her friends and nobody even seems to notice she's around anymore.

Nothing could have prepared Piper for what she finds when she arrives though; her mother is not just distant, but blatantly cruel. Not only that, her grandmother has been missing for weeks and her mother is fostering three other children. And then there's the magic. At first Piper doesn't believe, but when Kenji, Julius, and Camilla prove that they all have magic, or affinities, she begins to believe. Not only that, but she may have an affinity herself. If all that's true, is the mythical elixir in the hidden garden real also? And could it save her father?

Themes of trust, friendship, and growing up as well as the pain of letting go are woven throughout this story. Bowman's writing is smooth and touching, and readers will tear up at the painful, but inevitable conclusion as well as see hope for Piper in the coming days. While many aspects of the story feel familiar to any aficionado of British fantasy (so much so that the introduction of contemporary US references like baseball are jarring) it's a pleasant remix with an opening for a sequel.

Verdict: Readers who like slower-paced fantasy and can work their way through the sometimes dense prose will enjoy this story with a flavor of classic British fantasy, although it's an additional purchase.

ISBN: 9781534461581; Published 2020 by Simon and Schuster; Egalley provided by publisher via Netgalley; Hard copy borrowed from another library in my consortium

I'm sorry I was unable to read this as I reader broke. And I didn't get it downloaded on another device in time.

This was a great little whimsical middle grade read!

What I enjoyed about it:
The whimsical setting
The characters, this story is full of funny/charming young magical kids.
The themes around grief, death & dying, friendship, selfishness, and teamwork (there were others as well!). I thought this was so great to see and will absolutely be a book I purchase for the kids in my life in the future

Where this book lacked for me:
The plot development could have been a bit more robust, but honestly, this is the part of it being a middle grade story and I am definitely not 8-12 years old! I do wish we had learned more about the other characters though and even more about the magical society, about the powers, etc


Overall, a really cute and fun read with great themes!

Review is currently live on Goodreads and will be on my Instagram page in the next few days.

There were two things that made me want to read The Girl and the Witch’s Garden: that beautiful cover design that feels reminiscent of Studio Ghibli work and the mention of a mysterious secret garden. Fortunately, Erin Bowman’s middle grade debut ended up being a very charming, likable read! Piper winds up having to spend the summer at her grandmother’s estate, putting her right in the path of her estranged mom who abandoned Piper and her dad years before. Piper runs into the three children being fostered at the Mallory estate and learns that, because they are gifted with special abilities, they’ve been tasked with finding a way into the magically concealed garden on the estate in order to retrieve a powerful substance. That’s the bare bones of this tale, and the truth is that middle grade-aged Alexa would have been head over heels for it. It has so many elements that I really like, including fascinating magic, enchanting setting and budding friendships. It also, like many other middle grades, doesn’t shy away from tackling more difficult themes (like Piper’s father being very ill, her pain at her mother’s abandonment, the fear of everything changing), even while wrapping it all up in the intriguing mystery surrounding the estate and the magic. It all came together beautifully! The Girl and the Witch’s Garden might not be a new favorite (which is more to do with me not being the actual target age group audience), but it was a lovely, well-written tale.

I always enjoy middle grade books that show the main characters as real kids dealing with issues kids really experience. This one was a perfect blend of that and fantasy elements that further bring the reader in. The fantasy elements brings out the real emotions which are the heart of the story.

In recent years I have read more new adult and adult fiction, with my son reaching an age where he is beginning to be interested in longer book I decided it was time to look at more children's literature. This book was not a disappointing way to reenter the genre. Equal parts magic and childhood wonder I was hooked from page one and I am excited to share it with my daughter as well as my son as the get older.

Loved this Secret Garden puzzle box story. It was beautiful and emotional and dealt with hard things in a realistic(ish) way - after all, it's about magic.

I'm buying this for my 11-yo niece.

When her father has to get treatment for his illness, 12 year old Piper is sent to live with the mother who left her when she was only four. While there Piper tries to mend her relationship with her mother and begin a relationship with her foster siblings. She also learns of her family's affinity for magic.

I absolutely loved this book and could not put it down. The Girl in the Witch’s Garden is a middle-grade fantasy about Piper, a girl whose father is dying of cancer. She loves her father, who is really the only person in the world she has. Piper’s mother abandoned them when she was young, but with her father’s cancer getting worse, she’s sent to live with her and her grandmother at Mallory Estate, her grandmother’s home. Neighbors are convinced Piper’s grandmother is a witch and that the house and especially the garden is magical, but Piper absolutely does not believe in magic. She believes in science and facts and evidence.

But all that changes when she arrives at Mallory Estate and meets a group of kids her mother is fostering who all have special – magical – abilities. This stings a lot, not only because her mother abandoned her and then turned around to raise a group of foster children, but because the reason her mother abandoned her was to research the magic of Mallory Estate. Now Piper’s mom has crafted this whole new family, surrounded by “better” children who can help her in her quest. And worse still, Piper’s mom seems completely disinterested in reuniting with her own daughter. If fact, she acts like Piper is underfoot, especially because Piper doesn’t have any magical abilities of her own. Or does she?

This book dealt with some really dark themes, specifically the death of a parent and parental neglect, abandonment, and abuse. I though these were handled appropriately for the age group. The cover of the book threw me, because, while absolutely beautiful, it gives the impression that this is going to be a light-hearted whimsical read. And it is definitely not that.

The book has some great Harry Potter and Miss Peregrine vibes which I loved. Mallory Estate is a character onto itself, and a fantastic one at that. The author, Erin Bowman, did a superb job crafting an enchanting world that I completely fell into, and I was rooting for Piper from the start. I really hope there’s a sequel — or better yet a series — about Piper and the rest of the magical kids. The ending was open ended enough to leave room for that.

Overall, I highly recommend this book. It was simply wonderful.

As far as fantasy goes, this book was well written and a good concept, but the characters felt rather flat and boring and the plot didn't offer much that was fresh to the genre. I'd still recommend it to young readers looking for light fantasy.

A magical hidden elixer and a new home for the summer with the mom that abandoned her, what could possibly happen? This story follows Piper, a 12 year old girl who is forced to stay with her mother while her dad is in the hospital getting his procedures for his cancer. Upon arriving at the estate, Piper learns that not only has her mother been foster 4 other children but that they all hav magical abilities and that Piper's beloved grandma has been gone for over a week.
The story deals with a lot of difficult subjects such as grief, abandonment, divorce, and foster care for children while adding in a magical storyline. The story itself was intriguing and I really liked the protagonist Piper. The quest that Piper goes on to find the magical elixir is quite interesting and the magic system in the book is fine. Overall its a good read for middlegrade and children as its a fun little journey.

This is a fantastic, magical middle grade read that I adored! I loved how the story presented itself as a fairy tale with some hard truths rolled into it. There are definitely some darker parts to the story and some mysteries to solve but nothing too scary. I loved the writing style and the way the story flowed. Overall this was a quick fun read that I would recommend picking up for any of the young teens in your life!

Piper’s father cancer is worse so she’s sent to stay with the mother who abandoned her as a baby. At her mom and grandmother’s house, Piper learns that she’s from a magical lineage and the foster kids living there all have affinities. Piper’s cruel mother wants the kids to use their magic to find an elixir of immortality. Piper secretly discovers her own magic, works with the other children, and discovers the true villain in the house.

Immediately I was interested in a book that featured “witch” and “garden” in the title, and I was not at all disappointed. It is a great fantasy read for middle grades, full of three of my favorite things: magic, friendship and adventure.

Piper finds herself suddenly living with her estranged mother who has been living on a mysterious family estate. The giant house is also home to other children with mysterious powers. As she discovers buried secrets, she is launched on a quest to find the truth.

The plot is fast paced, with lots of surprise twists and turns. The main character and her best friend are hilarious, and I really enjoyed their relationship and dialogue throughout the story. As fun as the plot is, I also enjoyed Piper’s journey as she tries to deal with everything happening in her life. She is complex and an overall really likable character to follow.

In a mix, which somewhat reminds of The Secret Garden and Miss Pergine's Home for Peculiar Children, this is an adventure packed with magic and friendship.

Piper hasn't seen her mother since the divorce, despite the fact that her mom still lives with her grandmother on the mysterious Mallory Estate. All of this is fairly fine, until Piper's father falls ill with cancer, and she moves in with her grandmother while he undergoes treatments. She's met with a shocking surprise, not only does her mother dislike her (for no apparent reason), but her mother has adopted several other children instead. With her grandmother out of the house, and the other children seemingly possessing magical talents, life begins to get strange. Soon, she finds herself wrapped up in a mountain of secrets...many which shouldn't even be possible.

This is a solid, fun, fantasy read for kids, where magic abounds and secrets lay lurking behind every twist and turn. It's not as carefree as the cover might suggest but carries weighted moments and dark mysteries. But with these characters, it's a worthy adventure. Piper is obviously out of her comfort zone and has a lot to learn and deal with. But she has the personality which makes it easy to root for her. The other children at the Estate stretch over a nice variety of quirks, making each one a treat in their own way. Some are easy; others are not. It's a lovely mix.

Mystery and secrets fly as imaginative as the magic. The garden is a wondrous and perfect place to hold at the center of the tale. But then, there are all sorts of surprises, which keep these pages turning. The writing is just right for the age group, and while I did find that the first chapters jumped into things a bit quick (leaving getting to know Piper a little better first behind), the start does dive right into the action and capture attention. I was a bit disappointed with the mother's character. Her meanness to her own daughter seemed to come out of nowhere and held on without explanation. Still, it's a nice read and definitely worth picking up.

Piper Peavey didn't want to spend her summer at the Mallory Estate. It's cold, the garden is dead, random children are around, and the owner is purported to be a witch. The owner is Piper's grandmother, and Piper has to go to the estate when her father is too ill from cancer. Piper will have to try to unlock the secrets of the estate to try to save her father.

The Girl and the Witch's Garden is a book geared for middle-grade readers, and Piper is twelve years old. She introduced to the world of magic and affinities early in the novel, and that her mother had essentially abandoned her to work with children that have a magical affinity. When we meet her, Sophia has no emotional connection at all with Piper and chooses to leave the only meal she planned to eat with Piper and the other children. This was not an auspicious start, and I didn't like her at all. Even when it was clear she was manipulated and not all of her behavior was her fault, I still found her fairly unlikable.

The secret of the garden is an elixir of immortality that was hidden from all magi. Adults can't find it, and the other children at the estate hope to find it in order to stay and be adopted, but Piper wants to save her father, who is dying. Piper has to choose between her newfound friends and her father, and it's not an easy one to make. The average middle-grade student doesn't have to make a choice like this, but they do have to make difficult decisions as they balance the needs of their friendships and day to day lives against the needs of their family. This book also deals with death and dying from a child's perspective, as well as fears of being alone.

The Girl and the Witch's Garden is a magical but dramatic middle grade children's story. Piper Peavey is sent to spend the summer with her grandmother. Piper has a lot to deal with -- her father is dying, her mother abandoned her, her grandmother is eccentric....the estate is filled with foster kids who claim magical abilities. It's a weird situation. Piper is an awesome main character. She isn't perfect....but she seems real. She lies and manipulates others when necessary, but also shows great strength, resilience and kindness as well.

This story is magical, but has a hard edge of blunt truth to it as well. I think that made the story seem magical, but real at the same time. A fairy tale with a bit of bite to it.

This is the first book by Erin Bowman that I have read. I'm definitely going to read more. This story was enjoyable and well-written. Very though provoking. I'm not sure as a child I would have had the strength that Piper or the other children have. I don't think I would have liked a summer at the Mallory Estate or that I could have weathered the storms that Piper had in her life.

*I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Simon & Schuster. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.**