Katrina Leno is an author from whom I've read several books prior to this one. The Umbrella Maker's Son is her first time writing a book for middle grade readers, and I think it showed a bit in my opinion.

The book follows a soon-to-be twelve year old boy named Oscar who is (unsurprisingly) the son of a man who makes umbrellas. They live in a fictional town where it's either raining or right about to rain, so umbrellas are an important part of their society. When a mysterious event called the Night Circus comes to town, Oscar finds himself tasked by the circus' fortune teller to undergo a dangerous adventure to help uncover the secrets behind the sketchy corporation that has begun taking over his town.

I know that I gave this book three stars, but it is not at all a bad book. As I mentioned above, I did think there were few things that indicated that it was Leno's first try at a middle grade audience, and it was these things that kept me from really getting invested in the story. The timeline for the beginning of the book is a bit non-linear, with the third-person narrator talking mostly about the past, but alluding to (or even writing a few paragraphs about) the future/present a few times. I was a fan of the first few times this happened because they added some suspense, but I felt like they began taking away from my enjoyment and immersion when they persisted long past where I expected. There are also a good amount of footnotes sprinkled throughout that didn't seem appropriate for an MG book because they segment the flow of reading. I kept thinking about how much trouble parents will likely have while trying to read this book aloud to their children because it can be hard to figure out how to insert a footnote into a narration.

Aside from my issues with the pacing/layout of the storytelling, I very much enjoyed the plot of this book as well as the characters. Oscar is a lovable kid, and his best friend Saige is just as great. They're friendship was supportive, strong, and full of fun banter that made me laugh. The story is one that manages to tackle some tougher themes (such as class-division, money problems, greed, and exploitation) while remaining fairly light-hearted for the sake of the younger audiences.

The ending of this book teases that it could be the start of a new MG adventure fantasy series, so I'm excited to see whether or not these characters will return in the future.

Oscar Buckle lives in a city where it’s always raining. I mean, really, it rains all of the time, so much in fact, that there are tons of different types of drizzle and ways to call them. The townspeople have learned to embrace it, and Oscar’s father is one of the appreciated umbrella makers.

There’s more to the weather than meets the eye though, there is magic involved!

Something or someone is causing all of this rain, and, perhaps, there is one competitor against Buckle Umbrellas that might bear responsibility on all this rainy weather.

Oscar must ask for help from his best friend, Saige, to discover if there’s more than nature involved in their city’s rainy disposition.

☔️ this middle grade fantasy book will be out for the world to read tomorrow, june 27th! it follows the story of Oscar, the son of an umbrella maker. Oscar’s life wouldn’t be as easy, with him quitting school, his best friend moving away, and a lot more.

☔️ i really love how imaginative this world is! it’s an entirely new world, and countries, and in Oscar’s town, it’s always raining. while i’m not hundred percent fond of rain, j enjoyed reading about the different types of rain, and the art of making quality umbrellas! reading this while raining made it a more immersive experience!

☔️ i love representations and relationship dynamics, and as far as middle grade stories go, i really appreciate Leno’s execution here. the storytelling is also another thing to admire! readers will enjoy the creative, fun words she created.

verdict: recommended especially for people who loves rain! you’ll definitely enjoy the imagery and narration.

I loved every minute of this book. Oscar and his best friend Saige have the sweetest friendship and would do anything for each other. Oscar is young, but is dealing with some real problems in his life. The loss of his mother, poverty, needing to drop out of school to work with his father. Oscar kept on a brave face through it all, and is such a strong role model character. I love the fantasy world with unusual foods, and a touch of magic. I don't want to spoil anything but I love how the author found a way for Oscar to use his passion to help the family business. I just wanted to give everyone in this book a big hug! Plus, for a girl living in rainy WA, a book with 47 kinds of rain feels like home. I highly recommend this book to everyone and gladly give it 5 stars.

Katrina Leno's writing is pure magic, like a balm for the soul.

The Umbrella Maker’s Son is Leno’s first middle-grade novel and it’s a whimsical magical delight!! Some major Roald Dahl vibes here!!!

Leno creates an immersive new world, complete with new words to describe the different types of rain. Middle-grade readers will have so much fun with the creative vocabulary. Lovable characters, beautiful relationship dynamics and disability rep. This story is imaginative, engaging and so much fun!

Perfect for the middle-grade readers in your life and enjoyable for all other ages too!! Read while it’s raining for the full experience!!

The audiobook is narrated by Aaron Lockman, who does a fantastic job bringing this story to life!!

The Umbrella Maker’s Son by Katrina Leno is a middle grade fantasy about a young boy that quits school in order to start an apprenticeship and save the family business. Young readers will enjoy Oscar’s loyalty and determination to do whatever needs to be done in order to help his family. The characters are fun and the story is interesting, making this book an ideal choice for middle grade readers.

Though I’m a bit past middle school, this adorable cover grabbed me. Yes, I do judge a book by its cover and who wouldn’t think this is a good one? We were introduced to friends, Oscar and Saige, both are sweet characters. I feel bad for anyone who lives in a town where it rains constantly but especially kids. Circumstances move Saige to the other side of the wall dividing the town. Oscar soon visits and discovers a deep secret that threatens their safety, families, and the future of the town. The duo embark on a mission and … no spoilers here but the tension keeps ramping up throughout the book. The closer to the end, the faster the pages turn. I enjoyed this book a lot.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers for access to en eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This book was such a fun time from start to finish. The way the story flashes back and forth between telling the story from the beginning and scenes from the exciting and terrifying climax and the 'narrator' sort of teases you throughout the story was so interesting and engaging, Oscar and his father have been living in the Alley, an apartment complex in the Toe (essentially representing the slums of Roan city versus the Ankle where the wealthy reside) for Oscar's wh0le life, right across the street from his best friend Saige and her family. Oscar's father is well known for crafting the best umbrella's around, but with the massive increase in rain in Roan over the last few years and the effects that the industrial crafting of cheap, poorly made umbrellas has had on other umbrella makers, Billius struggles to sell his products for their true, fair price and thusly struggles to make a living. But despite this, Oscar loves his life, treking through the rain without using an umbrella at all, spending time with his best friend in their fort on the roof, and looking forward to graduate from his Middles and go into his Uppers in the Fall. But one evening, everything falls apart in Oscar's world, effectively setting him on a path full of danger, adventure, and maybe even a bit of saving the day.

The characters are all so warm and heartfelt and fun to read about. Oscar is brave and kind and giving, his father Billius is loving and cares so deeply for his home and his family, Saige is clever and witty (and requires the use of a wheelchair but is in no way held back by that, which was something so exciting to see included), and I could go on and on about all of the other characters they meet along the way, but it would take hours. The fact that Katrina Leno invented so many types of rain for the story and gave a name to each one along with forming the world, foods, customs, and so many other aspects just for the story and offering up funny glossary notes along the way, only made me love the book more. I love when a book teaches you new things while making the experience fun and funny, and I think it should and hopefully will be a massive hit with middle grade readers.

When I started the book, I was vaguely irritated by the footnotes. By the end, I was convinced that they lent a unique literary flavor to the story that only made it feel more alive. I think the footnotes are just harder to follow in a digital format.

The prose is clear, descriptive, and clever. The world-building is thoroughly immersive and atmospheric. The character development is superb; every player in this story stands out as distinct, but especially Oscar and Saige. Oscar is fully fleshed-out as an emotional, sensitive, and insightful young person, and Saige demonstrates one of the most positive representations of disability I have ever encountered in middle grade fiction.

"The Umbrella Maker's Son" is truly an innovative masterpiece and definitely deserves attention.

Top 5 Reasons to Read The Umbrella Maker’s Son

Family

I enjoyed the relationship Oscar had with his father Bilius. It is just the two of them and they’ve learned to love and support one another in so many ways. I liked how open and honest they were with one another, even when it came to the big stuff. It was heartwarming.

Friendship

Oscar and Saige have the best friendship! I loved how their friendship held up even after Saige moved away and the adventure they take together is now one of my favorites.

Footnotes

I am so grateful to the publishers for providing me a physical copy of this because the footnotes were probably one of my favorite parts of my reading experience. I highly recommend the physical format for this reason. You get some of the best commentary throughout the book that just make you giggle each time you are directed to the footnotes. Such a great addition to the story!

Illustrations

Another great reason to read the physical format is the illustrations. They are well done and a perfect addition. I liked getting to see Oscar, Saige, and Bilius on the page. It was fun to get half and full page illustrations throughout my reading.

Rain

Can I just tell you how much fun it was learning about all the different kinds of Rain Katrina Leno put into this book? I now have the perfect names for each type of rainfall and I honestly hope that I can use them in real life one of these days. Again, the footnotes help you to remember each type of rain in context throughout the story.

Here is a video I made for the book:

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZT8euppng/

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS

This is a middle grade fantasy/adventure.

Synopsis:
Oscar lives in a town where it is always raining. As the son of an umbrella maker, he is pretty busy. When a new company starts making cheap umbrellas and running his family out of business he thinks something suspicious is going on and enlists the help of his friend to figure it out.

The Umbrella Maker’s Son is an imaginative middle grade book. I loved the concept of a town where it is always raining. The book has made up words where the author gives definitions and sometimes plot. Some words are real and you can learn something which is the best. There is also a character that is in a wheelchair who shows that being disabled doesn’t slow her down and she ended up being my favorite character.
This is a heartfelt adventurous story! I would read more from this author. ☔️☔️
Thank you to Little Brown Books for Young Readers for the gifted copy!

This story was set in the country Roan on a planet called Erde. It constantly rained in Roan. There are many kinds of rain, each with very interesting names. First of all, I love this whole world setting. It's just that I knew I would love this book from the beginning.

Twelve-year-old Oscar has a passion for craving wooden pieces into animals or birds. When his family was unstable, his father asked him to give up his studies and help him work in his shop, Buckle Umbrellas. I love how the author expressed the struggle of fulfilling one's parent's needs while trying to hold on to one's passion.

Oscar’s friend Saige was such a total nerd and an entirely optimistic girl. I loved their friendship so much. They seemed so real with their teasing talks, terrace tent and secret codes.

The chosen-one plot didn't fail to amaze me. As I said earlier, it continuously rained in Roan, but its rainy weather has been uneven and harsh for a decade. I absolutely loved the fascinating and captivating adventure Oscar and Saige had as they tried to bring back the real Roan.

"The Umbrella Maker's Son" takes place in a fantasy world and offers a delightful blend of fun, heartwarming friendship, a touch of magic, and thrilling adventure.

Every now and then you get a Middle Grade where the writer's imagination is off the scale and this is true for The Umbrella Maker's Son. Here Katrina has built a world where there are so many different kinds of rain. food and games where the reader felt like that they were actually there. This book has been described as a Fantasy but there is so much more like adventure and mystery.

For me the stars of the show were Oscar and Saige what an amazing duo and I think children like Saige will completely fall in love with her. So thank you Katrina for adding such a strong character with disability.

But my favourite things were the footnotes really kept me as a reader enthralled and that rather wonderful glossary at the end was top notch.

For all the above reasons I am giving The Umbrella Maker's Son 4 stars

Here’s 5 reasons you should read this new book published by Little Brown for Young Readers, by an author I want to read more by now, Katrina Leno:

5. It’s a middle grade fantasy, and you are never too old to read this kind of wonder!

4. It is one of the most unique books I’ve read this year.

3. It gives you all the feels, from making you laugh to making you cry, with adventure and mystery in the middle.

2. It takes place in a different planet!

1. It’s is well written, with lovable characters, illustrated (and we all know how much I love illustrations, but trust me!) and reads so easily, you will want more!

💭Thoughts:
As someone who has lived my whole life in an area with a lot of rain, I was drawn to this book and its whimsical take on all things rainy.

The author has done a great job creating a whole new world, complete with a vocabulary full of new and different words. I think young readers will have fun learning the different meanings.

Overall, this is a sweet, engaging story. The ending put a big smile on my face. I was rooting for a happy ending for Oscar and his dad the whole time. Now where can I get my own umbrella?!

Characters are delightful with growth and facets aplenty. Solid world-building. Extra points for inclusion that isn't just about inclusion - diverse characters are characters first with diverse elements simply being a part of them. " . . .Oscar was struck by just how beautiful she was. She was tall and fat, with . . . ." Nothing more than that - just a simple, NORMAL description of a beautiful woman. Touches like this make this a special book. Really hoping for more from the author.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
☔️ love the rain
✍🏻 like learning new words
🦽 have a best friend who uses a wheelchair
📖 enjoy middle grade reads

• 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄

Oscar is required to become an apprentice for his dad learning the umbrella making trade after he finishes school.

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

Oscar Buckle lives in a city where it’s always raining. And when it isn’t raining, it’s about to rain, so the townspeople have learned to embrace it. Oscar’s father is an umbrella maker—appropriate for a place where you can’t leave home without one!—but while Buckle Umbrellas are strong, reliable, and high quality, they’re expensive. Because of this, people are buying from the competitor instead, which is threatening Oscar’s family’s business.
 
To make ends meet, Oscar is forced to quit school and work in his father's shop as an apprentice. But when extraordinary events start to occur in their rainy town, Oscar becomes suspicious of their competitor. Desperate to save his town, Oscar must enlist the help of his best friend, Saige, to discover if there's more than nature involved in their city's weather.

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was a super cute book with lots of new and creative words (all made up by the author of course!) I loved the definitions for each new word included at the end of each chapter too. It really helped immerse me in this new world. I was so curious about the different types of rain and think this could make a fun movie! Middle grade readers will love this one, so be sure to grab a copy for your children!

This was a delightful adventure filled with action and heart. I loved Oscar and Saige's friendship; although they may fight and get upset, they also care deeply for each other and apologize for mistakes and misunderstandings. Readers will also enjoy the mystery of Roan's rainy weather and Oscar's perseverance and Saige's ingenuity as they attempt to solve it. (On a similar note, if I was ever stuck on a desert island, I would hope I had Saige and her backpack with me!)

I have read all of Leno's books and loved each story she has crafted. I was looking forward to see how she would pull together a book for the younger crowd. She nailed it! The Umbrella Maker's Son is so unique and full of a gazillion new words from a made up planet! It was so fun to read. I can imagine middle schoolers loving this. Well done. This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Five stars!