I absolutely enjoyed reading Ellie Engle Saves Herself! Leah Johnson gives so much life into her characters, and this has a fresh, eclectic view on a confident heroine. I enjoyed this story so much that I look forward to picking this one up at my local bookstore!
I would certainly recommend this story to my 10 year old niece. She loves fun characters in stories like Ellie!

I think this is a great book to show kids about standing up for themselves, especially when it comes to friends that push them down so they can be in the spotlight. Ellie had a lot of growth throughout the book, and I loved the moments where she questions how Abby decides they should handle Ellie's abilities. The ending where she stands up to her but decides to try and be friends with her again while maintaining boundaries.

I do think the reveal of Ellie's abilities and then the idea that she's a fraud sped things up a bit, especially because of how worried Ellie was about people finding out about her. I think it would've been more interesting if people focused on what DOES happens when she uses her powers, and the isolation THAT could've caused. But overall, Ellie's development is focused on her confidence and not so much on her powers, which I appreciate.

Ellie Engle is a great middle grade book for children on the cusp of middle school. Ellie overcomes many adversities in a fun and engaging way that is sure to hook young readers!

Raising the dead should be a cool power. We have the chance to reverse the natural course of things.  
Ellie Engle doesn't want this sort of attention. As she puts it dryly, getting her powers doesn't even have a cool origin story. All she wanted to do was make her best friend smile, find new comics with worlds where she can escape her mother's money troubles, and take care of her betta fish. Then she gets her powers and her world turns upside down. Abby ditches her for popular kids, and she can't use necromancy to pay the bills.
While it takes a while for the story to take off, you can see the slow burn as Ellie shows us her normal life, while grieving for her grandfather and wishing that Poppy was here to give her advice. She learns to figure out how to grow out of her initial nerves and stand up for herself. Ellie may not be ready to change the world, but she is making her mark.

Thank you to NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for this DRC.
A fun and charming look at what happens when you have superpowers in middle grade. Ellie not only has to deal with being to heal people but also the paparazzi and her best friend Abby.

#EllieEngleSavesHerself #NetGalley

I love Leah Johnson's YA books so it was so fun to read a MG story from her! Ellie is a character that readers will quickly fall in love with, and I would read a hundred more stories set in this universe!

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this read, Leah Johnson! Diving into Ellie’s story, I found that many of my students would find her life relatable and learn a lesson or two about surviving the awkward tween years.

This is a really cute MG book showing kids they can be powerful all on their own! This contemporary superhero story will find a welcome place on many library and classroom shelves.

This is super cute inside and out. It's a contemporary superhero story, but it's also so much more, and I absolutely loved it.

This is a well written book, but ultimately I just don't think it's a good fit for my student population.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson.

This was such a charming, heart-filled, wonderful middle grade superhero story—I love Ellie and her friends and family, and watching her come into her powers and her power was a balm for the soul.

An excellent coming-of-age story about finding yourself and owning your superpowers. Ellie is most comfortable alone (reading comic books) or with her best friend Abby who forces her (in a good way) to try new things and be more adventurous. But things start to change when Abby wants to hang out with the cool girls. And then - in an intriguing twist of your typical story like this - a freak natural event leaves Ellie with a superpower that makes her the center of attention. A fast-paced plot and excellent characters that are drawn richly with diverse backstories, interests, and family situations make this a page-turner that I highly recommend to young readers who like magical realism and superhero stories with themes of friendship, family, and identity.

Leah Johnson does middle grade! And she does it well!

An earthquake gives Ellie Engle powers where she can bring things back to life. And when someone catches her using them on a video that goes viral, Ellie finds herself thrown into the spotlight she doesn’t necessarily want.

What’s beautiful about this book is that at its heart, it has a great message for middle graders about balance. Yes, Ellie has this amazing power to bring things back to life, but that comes at the cost of something else dying. Not that children will have this ability, but there is that underlying theme of everything in our world having that balance.

Johnson is a tremendous writer and I’m so glad that middle graders get to experience her writing as well.

4 stars

Reading this book makes me want to read her debut novel as well. I loved Ellie, her normal pre-teen troubles and her new superpower troubles. I wish I remembered more details so I could write a better review. Just know, that I really adored this book and the voice that Johnson gave Ellie.

Starting junior high is already a challenge when you're that young, but add in superpowers and things get a little bit complicated. Leah Johnson gave us this heartwarming and cute story about learning that you're more remarkable than you think you are, that friendships change, that you're allowed to be yourself, and that change isn't always a bad thing.

Our main character Ellie's world changes when she wakes up after an earthquake and her senses are stronger and she can bring things back from the dad (her fish coming back to life was quite the surprise). Add in the start of middle school and her friendship with her best friend (and crush) starts to change and Ellie is having a hard time.

I loved how we started seeing her powers and what she could do. Help came from a place she wasn't expecting and going viral wasn't exactly easy. I loved that the author included an influencer and how much the really do influence us. It was definitely an interesting take.

Besides the fun adventure of Ellie figuring out what she's able to do, I loved the friendship aspect of this story. Ellie learned that friends do accept you for who you are and that you don't have to accept everything from someone just because you're close. Seeing Ellie grow and also accept herself even more was very heartwarming. I would love to see more books about Ellie and her group of friends.

This middle grade novel is perfect for our strong, independent girls needing to see themselves in literature! I already put it on my purchase list for the start of the school year. Thank you for the opportunity to review it. I have the author's YA novel, but this is great for my younger girls. :)

I don’t often read Middle Grade fiction, but Ellie Engel Saves herself is worth the divergence. This book is fun, heartwarming, and honest in a way I’ve never read a story about a Black girl at that age. Johnson captures something really magical in Ellie as a character and this feels like the Good Place. I will absolutely keep this book in my classroom library.

“Ellie Engle Saves Herself” by Leah Johnson is an empowering and heartwarming coming-of-age novel that stole my heart! Johnson’s portrayal of Ellie’s journey to self-discovery is beautifully written and deeply relatable. The book tackles important themes such as identity, family, and love, with incredible sensitivity and authenticity.

Ellie is a fiercely strong and resilient protagonist, and her growth throughout the story is truly inspiring. I loved how Johnson portrayed her as a complex and multi-dimensional character, making her feel like a real person with real struggles. The book also celebrates friendship and the power of finding your tribe, which left me with a warm and uplifting feeling.

The story’s inclusivity and representation are commendable, adding depth and richness to the narrative. Johnson’s writing is delightful, witty, and heartfelt, making it impossible to put the book down. “Ellie Engle Saves Herself” is a captivating read that leaves you feeling empowered and hopeful, reminding us all that we have the strength within ourselves to overcome life’s challenges. I highly recommend this wonderful novel to anyone seeking a powerful and touching story.

This is a great middle-grade book about finding yourself and saving others. Leah Johnson does a fantastic job creating three dimensional characters but keeping it light and easy to read.