Into the Glades by Laura Sebastian is a wonderful book that combines a magical land with the story of four children trying to find a way through their grief. The land and inhabitants of The Glades are very believable and the story moves along well.

ahhh this was such a beautiful middle grade 🥺 i was obsessed with so many of the quotes and gorgeous wording i couldn’t help but include a few in my review - ⠀
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“Sometimes it’s a lot easier to be kind to others than it is to be kind to ourselves. But kindness is its own kind of magic. And it’s the kind of magic you can choose.”⠀
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“she was a shell of herself, breathing and alive, but not truly living.” ⠀
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in this book you’ll follow two girl best friends and their younger brothers with exciting adventures and obstacles to overcome: ⠀
resisting a siren/mermaid call, avoiding a tree come to life, preventing a cross of a dragon and an alligator burning down an island, even a hurricane starting from a characters own emotions!

jam packed with tension, magic and love this was one of the most beautiful middle grade’s i’ve read in a while. the under-lying morals of the story - you don’t need to be perfect, shouldn’t be forced to follow/fit in with everyone around you, be yourself, be kind always, things aren’t always what they seem on the surface - melted my heart and i’m so excited for others to read and love this. ⠀

I think this book does an excellent job of handling grief as a topic and explaining it in an appropriate way for middle-grade readers. The abstract feeling itself represented as a concrete "rotting sickness" that makes people (or creatures) act very out of character in a negative way will definitely resonate with a younger audience. The character depth isn't quite as good as Laura Sebastian's YA novels, and the MC's best friend was kind of insufferably annoying at times, but overall this was still a great read.

This is a fun action packed fantasy title. I really enjoy that the setting is The Everglades but with a magical twist.

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

This was a lovely and quick middle grade read. I adored the story, but unfortunately the characters didn't really speak to me, which made it hard for me to get in. All in all still a good read.

I will start off by saying that personally for me, this was too young for me, but I also understand that this book is aimed at middle grade. If I was twenty years younger, I would probably love this.

Nonetheless, I did enjoy the novel. The whole concept was a bit bizarre, but the the moral of the story was beautiful.. I loved how Sebastian explored different way of handling grief and loss. Cordelia sadly felt every emotion and it was an emotional rollercoaster for her. The strength of the community and the friendship group added to the story as well. Again, Sebastian wrote of how each character took this support on board.

Overall, a lovely middle-grade book, with a beautifully written prose and the most random creatures ever!

Into the Glades is a really fun middle grade story! I was a little hesitant at first as I’ve previously only enjoyed the authors young adult works but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. The sibling relationships were great and I thought that there was a really good discussion on grief. I also love that this is a standalone. Definitely worth the read!

I don’t think there can ever be too many books that deal with grief, because grief is such an individual experience, and what may resonate with one reader may not with another. The great thing about Into the Glades is that there’s something in it for readers who have yet to experience grief, too.

Into the Glades is told from the alternating points of view of Cordelia and Larkin. The girls have been friends for as long as they can remember, but the curse puts a strain on their relationship. Together, with their respective brothers, they learn that only by working together will they be able to save the Glades.

Cordelia, Larkin, Zephyr and Dash are each unique, bright individuals. Their different strengths and weaknesses play well off each other. The two girls, as the protagonists, are the better developed of the quartet, but the brothers add some humor and heart that really fills things out.

The other main character of Into the Glades is the Glades itself. Author Laura Sebastian full immerses readers in this Everglades-inspired world. It feels both familiar and magical and literally has a heart of its own.

Into the Glades is a thoughtful adventure that explores different kinds of magic and how that magic can manifest itself in the most amazing ways.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in return for an honest review.

I enjoy fantasy books but it can sometimes be a difficult genre for middle grade readers due to the length and often vocabulary, but this feels like a great introduction to MG fantasy. Lots of great world building and adventure and I think readers will connect with the variety of magic in the book (I mean...magic boogers!!) I do have several students who have had a parent pass away in the last couple of years so if I shared this book with them I'd offer a gentle warning because the storyline could be a trigger for some readers, but I think the book does a good job addressing the many feelings of grief that come after loss.

**Thank you to Random House Children’s Books/Delacorte Press, the author, and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will release October 25, 2022.**

Cordelia and Larkin live in the Glades, a swamp-like landscape inhabited by magical creatures and a community led by Cordelia’s father, Oziris. When he dies suddenly, their home and the creatures within it become dangerous and threatening, and the two girls and their younger brothers must navigate this newly wild world as they seek out a witch to bring Oziris back to life.

This is a fun little middle grade adventure through an Everglades-inspired magical swamp, chock full of interestingly mashed-up creatures (dragon-gators, anyone?) and magic. While it seems that the initial conflict might be centered on certain characters’ lack and/or possession of magic, that is not the case, though that does come into play as a factor in Larkin and Cordelia’s friendship over the course of the story. I really liked the girls’ individual arcs as well and how they intersected with the main plot of ridding the Glades of this curse brought on by (spoiler alert) grief.

I didn’t connect very deeply with the characters—this is rather short, and while there’s a bit going on below the surface of each, most are primarily defined by a single characteristic (Cordelia by her temper, Larkin by her lack of magic, etc)—but that wasn’t a big issue for me. Sometimes I’m just looking for an exciting story and don’t need a whole lot else.

And this certainly has a lot of excitement! Aside from the treatment of grief here, which is done in a lighter but effective way, I also like this very cool setting, and results in a couple of harrowing but ultimately not worrying encounters with the different creatures as the kids journey through the Glades—like riding a dragon-gator, enduring the siren song of marsh-maids, and more. However, I found myself wanting a little more on all fronts by the time I reached the end, but it’s still a quick, engaging read.

Laura Sebastian had created Likely her best work thus far. A super magical and creative setting with believable characters. Grief and loss is a trigger for me but am important topic nonetheless. Loved the critters and the descriptions. Main characters you could root for!

Into the Glades follows siblings and best friends Cordelia and Dash & Larkin and Zephyr as they set off on an adventure in hopes to resurrect Cordelia and Dash's father. Along the way, they encounter several obstacles that they solve by working as a team, and by doing so they grow to understand the layers of The Glades. I loved the magical world this book was set in as well as the underlying themes of grief and growing up that was explored. Thank you NetGalley for an ARC.

My review is skewed because I am a middle school librarian, grades 6-8. I found this book slow and difficult to get into and when I set it down it didn’t hold my interest enough. I had to force myself to pick it up again. I think this would be great for younger readers (4/5th) but not for my audience.

A wonderful middle grade story about loss and moving on with fantastical elements. Wouldn't hesitate to recommend to any young reader.

Beautiful. . I love the plot. Idk why but it made me think of The Neverending Story just a little. Perfect for middle grade readers. I would share this with my students as well. Thanks NetGalley!

Into the Glades is an excellent book for your middle-grade readers who are into adventures and magic. The relationships between Cordelia, Larkin, Dash, & Zephyr make for an interesting read as they embark on a journey to try and bring Cordelia & Dash's father back from the dead. This book deals with the pain of grief in a way that is very relatable for young people and shows that, while healing is possible, we will never forget those we've loved and lost.

ARC provided by NetGalley and Random House Children's Books Publicity Department in exchange for a fair review.

#IntotheGlades #NetGalley
Love Laura Sebastian's stories! I really enjoyed the plot and the background of this novel. Into the Glades is such a wonderful book for younger readers.

Into the Glades was such a good book. I enjoyed getting lost in this world and recommend reading it for yourself!