After reading so much middle grade fantasy, I always like when I pick up something that strikes me as different. I liked that Giada knew she had magic within her; she was part of a family who was keeping magical traditions alive. I'm a bit tired of middle school kids suddenly discovering their magical abilities. And, I really liked Cannistra's world building, which weaves old magic and Greek gods into a modern Italian town. This isn't one of those books that will last for generations, but it IS a lot of fun!

This was such a sweet and fun middle grade book. I’m a big fan of Greek/Roman mythology so I loved that that was included in this story. I liked how each kind of Streghe practiced a different type of magic linked to a different god.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced copy of this book.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* Really cute book, would recommend and even read again. Really liked the cover.

I loved this story! The characters were believable and human. They weren’t perfect and their flaws made them so much more real. The main character is smart, funny, and determined. The magical elements and creatures are introduced in a believable and engaging way. I really hope there are more installments of this story line. It would be great if it became a series.

A very fun fantasy that fills that void some readers feel when they've finished the Percy Jackson series.

This story has my whole heart!! Giada Bellantuono is a MG protagonist who will stay with me for a long time, brimming with emotion and bravery (and sass, of course)! Not only does Meg Cannistra perfect the MG voice, but she spins a riveting adventure involving underground cities, heartfelt sibling drama, and (yay!) witches. It's a body-positive tale I will be recommending to readers of all ages.

This was a really good MG fantasy novel! I thought Giada was a great MC. Overall, I would definitely recommend trying it!

I received an e-ARC from the publisher.

How to Heal a Gryphon is a fun and well written fantasy for middle grade readers by Meg Cannistra. Released 4th Oct 2022 by Harper Collins on their Inkyard Press imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is such an engaging story with a wonderful young protagonist who wants to be a magical veterinarian instead of the healer her entire family expects her to be. She's intelligent, physically strong, kind, and she has a very good work ethic. She's also feeling hemmed in and battered down by everyone's expectations for her; not least of which concern her choice of training - she's from a long line of healers.

I liked the straightforward storytelling. Young Giada is torn between doing what's expected of her and following her dreams and she doesn't have long to make a decision. I also liked that she's not a willowy thin supergirl who breezes through challenges. She's chubby, and some of her classmates bully her about it. The author doesn't harp on it a great deal, but it appealed to me a lot that she didn't make Giada fat just to "fix" her later in the book.

The settings are interesting and unusual - the names and places have a distinct Italian vibe and the setting is both fantasy inspired with small modern details such as Giada talking about "doing research online".

The book is rated as NA/YA, but strikes me as more suited to middle grade readers (ca. 8-12 year olds).

Four stars. This would be a great choice for public or school library acquisition, gift giving, and home use.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes

I love that Giada has found her passion and wants to work with animals and I love that she also found her voice and learned her own strength. This was a really fun book and I could see it turning into a duology or series and I would be happy if either happened.

Highly recommend.

This book is super adorable and I've already recommended it to a bunch of readers at the library!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Giana Bellantuno is a witch in training. Her family are famous for their healing abilities. It is taken for granted that she too will be a healer. She isn’t interested in healing humans. She wants to heal animals which is a big no in her society. Alessia Marini is her best friend. Her parents have been called away to go to Japan to assist in a healing. Her older brother Rocco is to keep an eye on her to see that Giana doesn’t get in trouble. Giana is running to school as she is late. In her backpack, there is a chirrup sound in class. Her teacher is disgusted with her. The teacher is going to call her father as she has a magical animal in her backpach. Giana takes her healed baby gryphon to where she hopes to get the baby gryphon to her mother gryphon. Giana keeps having bad luck in whatever she does. She finds a wish made earlier in the day comes true. Rocco is missing. No one can find him. She eventually learns that he has been captured by the witches live underground. She makes a deal with these witches to get Rocco back. She is to give/make a moon and stars for their underground village. They have been forced to live underground as they are considered bad witches. With the help of Alessia, her pet spider and the gryphon, she manages to almost do it. She now has to find some way to get stars that won’t die. Will she be able to do it alone?

The author has written an exquisite fantasy with mystery, magic animals and a god and goddess. She brings into the novel family relationships and being true to herself besides doing so to her parents. I loved this story. I hated for it to end.

How to Heal a Gryphon is a fun fantastical novel that students and adults will equally enjoy! Sit back, relax, and let it take you on a magical journey.

13-Year-Old Giada doesn't want to follow in her family's footsteps and become a healer. As she is gathering the courage to tell her family, witches kidnap them, and Giada's talent for magical animal care becomes necessary to save her family.

This middle-grade novel explores coming of age and becoming who you are meant to be, despite other people's expectations. Giada is relatable, she has an annoying older brother and parents with high expectations. The empathy, bravery, and tenacity shown throughout gives her a depth of character that makes this an enjoyable read from start to finish.

3.5 stars. This was such a sweet and fun book. I’m a big fan of Greek/Roman mythology so I loved that that was included in this story. I liked how each kind of Streghe practiced a different type of magic linked to a different god.

Giada , the protagonist, descends from a long line of guaritrices, who use their magic to help heal other humans. But Giada feels compelled to heal animals instead. This causes friction between her and her family. Giada is able to use her magic to speak to animals too and when her brother is taken by the Streghe del Malocchio, her connection to animals is what helps her to save him.

I loved how Giada was able to communicate with the different animals and her familiar. Even though she was young, Giada had confidence in herself and was able to put her fear aside to do what was needed. I also loved that Giada was a full-figured girl and she was not ashamed of it.

The only complaint I have is that I wish there had been even more interactions between Giada and other animals. The mythical Gryphons were a fun addition and I really liked the tarantula, Tartufo and her familiar, Sinistro, but I would have loved even more animals to be included.

The ending was sweet and I would recommend this to any child or adult who loves fantasy, animals and magic.

**Thank you to Inkyard Press and Netgalley for an ARC. The opinions expressed herein are my own**

This middle grade fantasy was a fun, sweet, quick story. I looked through other reviews and I don’t think that people totally got that it was middle grade instead of young adult and I think that misconception impacted others’ enjoyment. I don’t read a ton of middle grade at this point in my life, but I do enjoy them from time to time and this is one I would share with the kids I work with. Giada is approaching her 13th birthday and with that comes her oath to serve as a magical healer, but the problem is she’s not connected to healing humans. Giada’s magic works best with animals and mystical creatures. Before she can figure out how to break this news to her parents she is set off on an adventure to save her brother and along that journey she grows confidence in who she is and what she is meant to do. I liked the writing and found that the story flowed very well.

I received an electronic ARC from Inkyard Press through NetGalley.
Readers enter a world where magic works with science. Giada's family has been healers for generations. Her older brother is already on his way to continuing the family tradition; Giada feel stifled and knows her gifts come from a different god. She is a healer too but for animals. When bad luck enters the plotline and her brother is taken by "evil witches," she embarks on a journey to rescue him. Along the way, she has to master her pride, temper and belief in herself to save her entire family and friend. Together with her familiar, Sinistro, and other animals she has healed, Giada uses her magic to bring light to the dark home of the Strega del Malocchio.
Cannistra has a solid foundation for this story but some of the plotline does not flow smoothly. Some events abruptly happen to move the story forward but leave the reader wondering how they fit in. Middle grade readers will appreciate the mythical creatures (gryphons!) and follow the story arcs. It feels like Giada's adventures will continue as she moves to New Jersey for her apprenticeship year.

This book will appeal to fans of Tortall and I enjoyed the Italy inspired setting. I wanted a bit more character devrlopment.

A fun read for the magic-loving and also for kids exploring ways to live their own truth. This will appeal to younger Potter fans, and blooming fantasy enthusiasts. This is a solid title for children who need to learn to love themselves as they are - very affirming.

Giada is not your standard witch. She cares about magical creatures and humans, though the latter sometimes are not nice because she does not have the typical with physique. Fans of Harry Potter and Newt Scamander will love this as well as fans of the Sanders sisters of Hocus Pocus.

Loved her, hope they'll be a part 2.