📖 Genre: Middle Grade Fiction, Fantasy, Illustrated Novel
⭐ Rating: 4/5

📚 Overview
The Chronicles of Deltovia follows three seventh-grade friends—Misha, June, and Ollie—as they embark on a collaborative journey to write their own epic fantasy novel. Using a shared composition notebook, they weave together the tales of Deltovia while navigating the challenges and adventures of middle school life. The book uniquely blends their imaginative storytelling with real-life experiences, offering readers a glimpse into both their fictional world and personal dynamics.
GOODREADS

🧐 What I Loved
✔ Innovative Storytelling Format: The narrative unfolds through the girls' shared notebook, complete with handwritten entries, doodles, and illustrations. This creative approach provides an authentic and immersive reading experience, capturing the essence of their collaboration.
AMAZON

✔ Authentic Portrayal of Friendship: The interactions among Misha, June, and Ollie are heartfelt and relatable, showcasing the ups and downs of middle school friendships. Their distinct personalities shine through their writings, making them resonate with readers.
KIRKUSREVIEWS.COM

✔ Seamless Blend of Fantasy and Reality: The alternating perspectives between the fictional world of Deltovia and the girls' real lives create a dynamic narrative that keeps readers engaged. This interplay highlights their creativity and the impact of storytelling on personal growth.
SIMONANDSCHUSTER.COM

🤔 What Could Be Better
🔹 Limited Depth in Fantasy Plot: While the concept of Deltovia is intriguing, some readers might find the fantasy elements less developed compared to the real-life segments. A deeper exploration of the fictional world could enhance the overall narrative.

🔹 Potential for Confusion: The frequent shifts between the notebook entries and the girls' actual experiences might be disorienting for some readers, especially younger ones. Clearer transitions could alleviate this issue.

✨ Final Thoughts
The Chronicles of Deltovia is a delightful exploration of friendship, creativity, and the power of storytelling. Olivia Jaimes masterfully captures the voices of middle schoolers, presenting a narrative that's both entertaining and insightful. The innovative format and genuine portrayal of the protagonists make this book a standout choice for young readers and anyone who appreciates the magic of collaboration.

📌 Would I recommend it? Absolutely! If you're looking for a fresh, engaging read that celebrates imagination and camaraderie, this book is a perfect pick.

A book where I guess you could say the concept defeats the execution. It's one of those drawn-in diary narratives, shared between three girls at middle school who want to write in very unplanned manner a fantasy of them in an alternative world, facing multiple Battle Royale fights and the conquest of something or someone dark. All have their own fonts and styles, so the main one wants to get her own way with the narrative (and clearly heroine billing) (and also sympathy for being a one-winged orphan character in the new world of the book), the second one is much more methodical, scientific and logical, and the third is so busy with lacrosse and other hobbies it's all she can do to half-fill in blank lines left for her character's contribution; if the other two authors come up with a list of three utterly unique paths for the journey to take, she will decide to vote for all three.

I think this is nicely meta, and it really does manage to get a lot out of combining the real life of the girls – the fixation on a celebrity influencer and her daughter at the same school, a Night-at-the-Museum styled school trip – with the world of their novel. If scientific one sees her character's smarts ignored, she herself takes umbrage and it's both the authors and their characters working through the issue at the same time. But does that make any of this inherently entertaining? Not really. The real world problems are dull, the fantasy book is clearly as naff as naff can be, and beyond the three approaches to life and the book that the three lasses have there is little in the way of real character.

Seldom do you get a series opener this weak, for it clearly will revolve around the shtick of what is on page in their fiction being a mirror to what is on page through their real life. And this instance of it needed a ton more oomph, and a kick up the arse to both the fantasy world and the real world mysteries. I finished this and I still don't care a jot why the old woman was staring at the canvas across the corridor. Only buy this if that kind of thing sounds like a gripping plot point for the people you buy tweenage novels for. Because it doesn't me.