I first would like to say thank you Netgalley and Michelle Barry for providing me with a copy in exchange for a review.

Let us start:

Myra is a misfit that is having a hard time fitting in at school on the moon. It is assumed she will follow in her parent's footsteps, but she seems not interested. Eventually, she discovers a secret garden (which felt cliche given that we already have a whole book about a secret garden written for children. This is where I took away a star) hidden in an abandoned classroom, behind its walls. Thus, changing her life. She learns that her talent lays with plants but is not sure how long she can hide the fact that she lacks the same abilities as her parents. . Plants and plant magic can no longer be trusted. But due to the crisis, something must be done. So, Myra with the help of others to revive the garden, even though it is a dangerous endeavor.

Overall, the book is good for the group it is marketed towards. Myra is relatable because she does not know where she fits in and later discovers who she is and who she wants to become.

I read Michelle Barry's Moongarden this weekend. It's a science fiction novel for children and young teens that (loosely) retells Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden, an absolute favorite from my childhood. Even better, Barry's book is the first in a series called Plotting the Stars.

In Barry's imagined future, humans abandoned Earth after plants turned toxic. They now live in settlements scattered throughout the solar system. Myra Hodger is in her first year at the Lunar Academy of Magic, but she doesn't fit in. She's the daughter of two famous Number Whisperers, who excel in the magic of mathematics. Everyone assumes Myra will follow in their footsteps, but Myra's magical affinity hasn't surfaced yet, a secret she keeps close. She spends most of her time avoiding her roommates and figuring out how to cut class--until the day she discovers a hidden garden behind an old classroom, and everything changes.

Myra and her friend Canter Weathers, with the help of a clone named Bernie, decide to bring the garden back to life. Their project is dangerous, because people no longer trust plants or plant magic. Some have gone to prison simply for possessing seeds. But with the human food supply jeopardized, they can't keep the garden--or Myra's true magical affinity--a secret forever.

You've read this story before: A misfit young girl learns who she truly is and, with the support of newfound friends, finds the courage to stand up to her overbearing parents and to society itself. But I say there's nothing wrong with telling a tale again if it's a good one. Myra is a likeable heroine and Barry's world-building is excellent, so it was fun to revisit the adolescent arc through the lens of science fiction, magic, and a beloved classic. And, since it's the first of a series, not everything was resolved by the end of the novel. About the only thing that bothered me in Barry's writing was the exclamation "Crashing comets!" used no fewer than ten times...I know slang will have evolved by 2448 A.D., but still.

What intrigued me most about Moongarden are its darker themes around social justice. In Myra's world, humans without magic are an embarrassment to their families, while clones like Bernie are not considered human at all--they can simply be "retired" (read: killed) when they are judged no longer useful. I smell revolution! And I'll be back to read about it.

This book was so good!! The main character, Myra, was very relatable and like-able. I think this is a great sort of coming of age story; a relatable theme of not knowing where you fit in but finding yourself in the end. Myra is a student at the SLAM school and she is thought to be a number whisperer like her parents, but she secretly knows that isn't true. She is worried because she doesn't know what creer she is going to end up being a part of but it all changes when she discovers a secret garden in an old lab at the school. She makes some great friends along the way and overall it was a very entertaining story!

Misfit Myra knows her time is limited at SLAM- her famously brilliant and magical parents didn't seem to save any of those gifts for her.
It's fine though, since living in this magical school on the moon is starting to get uncomfortable with a cramped dorm and a disgusting new cafeteria menu.

When Myra stumbles upon something cosmically rare- a secret garden- she stumbles on a galaxy of trouble. For herself, and the universe.

I am starving for the sequel already.

What worked:
Myra struggles to fit in at an elite school on the moon called S.L.A.M. and it’s assumed she’ll become a great Number Whisperer like her parents. This ability combines math with magic but Myra’s not showing any interest or signs of inheriting the power. Discovering a secret garden hidden behind an abandoned classroom’s walls changes her life. She feels a connection in this room but knows it’s dangerous to let anyone else at school become aware of its existence. She seems to have a talent with plants but how much longer can she hide her lack of ability as a Number Whisperer? The strange markings appearing on her arms tell a different tale, one that could spell life-threatening problems if they’re discovered.
Myra finds help from an unlikely group of characters. She first finds a chirping, whistling little robot in the abandoned classroom that may remind readers of R2D2 in Star Wars. It understands what Myra says but it’s only understandable replies come as beeps meaning yes or no. She’s then joined by an older human clone assigned to do janitorial work around the school. This character provides useful information regarding the origins of the moongarden and the Botan who developed it. Later, Myra’s surprised to receive help from an older student with ties to the plot’s antagonist and from a roommate Myra’s never gotten along with. The older boy has a talent for technology and Myra’s roommate is developing into a Healer. They’re both invaluable as secrets surrounding the moongarden unfold.
Dystopian novels are always intriguing as readers discover an author’s ideas about the look of human lives in the future. In this case, no one lives on Earth due to toxic plants and they now live on the moon and other planets. The book doesn’t go into any detail as to how this is accomplished so interested readers will need to fill in the gaps themselves. Humans have developed a connection between magic and useful skills that will guide their future Creers and those without Creers are often seen as lesser citizens. Tattoo-like Inscriptions appear on humans’ arms that reflect their growing abilities and potential Creers. Food has been cloned in the past but problems with the process create the backdrop for the entire conflict.
What didn’t work as well:
The idea of plants as the main topic won’t naturally grab the attention of most young readers. However, the problems with cloning food are a fresh idea and the underlying conspiracies and Myra’s adventures with her friends are as engaging as any other middle-grade novel.
The Final Verdict:
Myra strives to fulfill her forbidden destiny. I wasn’t sure what to expect with this book but it’s creative with many story elements young readers will love. Myra’s character is appealing and identifiable as she struggles to find her place in the world and uncovers a scheme that will affect humans across the solar system. I recommend you give it a shot.

This story is filled with adventure and friendships, tangled with Myra finding herself through the pressures of school and parental expectations. The elements of this world were not too complex, and introduce some unique concepts of powers, magic and technology. The language is fitting for young readers, providing a lot of fuel for imagination.

I especially enjoyed Myra's little side-kick and looked forward to parts of the story where they were together. These characters were fun, interesting and all you could ask for in friends.

I will definitely be sharing this book with my children through their reading Journey.

Thanks to NetGalley for making this advanced copy available in exchange for my sincere feedback.

Quick thoughts while reading:
Unnecessary fantasy jargon.

This starts as a very typical YA school drama with a space gloss. Calling academics (science?) practical magic feels like a step backwards, somehow. It's not helpful to make more people think that knowledge is mystical and impossible to acquire.

Being mean to clones because they don't have feelings. Great.

Why would future food be beige and rubbery? Also, don't do chemistry in the cafeteria!

Is plant magic also electricity based, like the one prof was saying? That would actually be interesting. I like the insta-heal aspect of the magic more than the science is magic stuff. I don't quite understand why she isn't even attempting the math-magic in a practical sense. She clearly can do math at high levels when she's looking at it through a plant or land-related lens.

Actual review:
While the beginning of this book was a bit frustrating with the typical fantasy jargon and a dynamic that I was afraid would turn into "not like other girls," I appreciated that it developed beyond that and that the "science is magic" gimmick wasn't taken too far. By about a third of the way through the book, my initial misgivings were largely gone and I found myself really enjoying it. There is clearly some actual theory and knowledge behind the gimmick, and connecting botany to electrical engineering was pretty cool. I saw the reveal coming, but it fit and made sense while still leaving some mysteries for the next book. While it is a retelling of The Secret Garden, the author manages to make the characters her own and thankfully didn't set it in an Indian background with white kids. Overall I enjoyed it and it was quite a fast read.

Now if someone can explain cascading multiplication tables to me, that would be great.

4/5, would read the sequel.

ARC provided by NetGalley.

Moongarden is an enjoyable, middle-grades sci-fi story. Myra is a lonely 12 year old girl attending the Scientific Lunar Academy of Magic (SLAM). Her parents are well known number whisperers, but Myra doesn’t seem to have an affinity for any of the magic creeds. She is worried that she is going to be expelled. Her stress leads her to exploring the school, upon which Myra discovers something that changes everything.

Moongarden is a heartwarming story. I highly recommend it. I can’t wait for the next book to come out.

Title:? Gorgeous. Cover art:? Stunning. Story? MAGICAL!!! I freaking LOVED this book! I wanted to request an arc of this book before I even saw that it was a retelling of The Secret Garden, and after that I KNEW this was going to be a must-read. TSG is one of my most favorite books/movies from my childhood so I had HIGH expectations for this book and THEY. WERE. MET.

Plotting the Stars 1: Moongarden is a Sci-fi tale of a bunch of children who are on a mission to save the world after they discover a garden.-it's not just *any* garden, though, and is (irrationally) feared by many. Luckily, we Myra and the gang despite being younger and less knowledgeable than adults, have the heart and spirit to know that the garden is nothing to be feared and they have the key to save the world! WHOO!!

I related A LOT to Myra and felt like the parts of the book with her could have been written about me. VERY relatable character. Loved her story and her growth.

This book overall was just wonderful and full of whimsy and joy and if you're looking for a book to bring you back to your childhood, look no further. I can absolutely see this being VERY popular with students this year. This book was a solid 4.75/5 stars.

Wow. Wow, wow, wow! I LOVED THOS BOOK! Thank you so much NetGalley and the publisher, Pixel+Ink, for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. Honestly, this is one of my favorite books I've read this year.

First off, can we talk about this cover? As soon as I saw it I was immediately drawn to it. I had to know more! Its literally glowing with magic. I never even made it past the part of the synopsis that said its similar to The Secret Garden, which will forever remain one of my favorite books of all time. I immediately clicked on read and I never looked back.

This book is smart. The writing is funny, Myra is hilarious and awkward and everything I was as a young person. I adore her and I cannot wait to read more of her. The magic is glorious and visceral - the images the descriptions in this book bring up are beautiful. Its sci-fi, fantasy, and practical all wrapped up into a gorgeous book that kept me hooked from the first page. I can't wait to see where the friendship between Myra, Canter, and Lila goes. Thank you, thank you to Michelle A. Barry for writing what I am considering my new favorite series!

I just adored this book! The synopsis called it a retelling of The Secret Garden, and that sold me! This was a sci fi story of adventurous kids on a mission to save the world after the discovery of a garden, full of plants that are feared by their entire world. But Myra and Canter know better. They know the plants are good, and that they hold the secret to saving their world.

What I loved: Myra is a pretty ordinary kid, standing by watching as her peers find their magic. She is an underdog, a confused kid trying to please her parents, but somehow learning that she can't (and doesn't want to) fight who she was made to be. It is so fun to watch her find her own magic, and to grow confident that what makes her DIFFERENT is what makes her GOOD.

I also enjoyed watching two friendships develop for Myra between herself and kids that she thought she had nothing in common with.

This book would be just perfect for upper elementary through junior high!

I can't wait to share this with my kids!

Thank you NetGalley for a chance to read Plotting the Stars 1: Moongarden.

This was a fun, fast paced read. I thoroughly enjoyed the plot and the characters. I loved the secret garden story reimagined in an off planet setting. I loved Myra (and her robot) and can’t wait to see what happens next in this series.

An enchanting world within the book.. This book is epitome of peak fantasy.. All the creatures and there interactions.. I really loved this book..