A fun book that dragged too long for middle grade/upper elementary. This story does lean more towards upper elementary than middle school, so I was a little disappointed by that alone.

This story reminded me of my first years in school and in general of my childhood, since at one point in my life being the class clown, although it was not what defined me as a student, it was something that in a way marked a bit of my personality in class.

Although it wasn't me at all times, we all had that clown classmate for whom we were punished at some point, even though their intention was just to amuse and draw attention to themselves.

I saw many of them reflected in Zella and the way being singled out as the one to blame for an important moment to fail fell on her shoulders.

Was a nice trip back to moments in my childhood this read and one that made me remember things I had already lost from my memory.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC.

The ending of this book is ultimately really lovely, if a bit predictable. It's a long slow crawl getting there though. I read an ARC so perhaps some tightening has occurred in the finished book?

As much as I liked Zella (and her friends, Janea and Bowie), she struck me as a bit unremarkable. She's possibly the least interesting character. That said, I loved her relationship with Pops (her grandfather) and connection to the creek. (Wish there had been more of that and it was fairly obvious that Pops would be at the creek when he wandered off.) The family-run ice cream parlor was a hoot, and I also liked the multi-POV approach, with even the small town of Kettlsby getting chapters. That was a clever way to introduce all the town folk, who all play a role in Zella's Ripple Effect project in the last quarter of the book.

There's much to enjoy here, but the book strikes me as a very "safe," somewhat "ho-hum" read.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. The opinions written are completely honest and my own..

A aged appropriate novel that is told from various students point of view. I really enjoyed reading this one and I appreciate the variation in personalities. Almost everyone will relate to someone

Let's see the first sentence of the goodreads synopsis:
"When 6th grader Zella’s class prank flops, she’s given a second chance to leave a lasting impact in this middle-grade novel about redemption, friendship, and kindness."
So tell me why I'm 55% through a 400 page middle grade book and none of that has happened yet. They just came up with the prank idea, and they're gathering materials. So what exactly have I read so far? Pages and pages of the main character's family life that could've been woven into the rest of the story, very confusing chapters from the POV of her friends and classmates who I can't for the life of me tell apart, and various cringy and unnecessary replacements of real world brands like "CliqueClock", "Chirp", "GameBot" and "Battleblox".
The main character is pretty stupid and I think that's on purpose, because according to the synopsis eventually she learns from her mistakes and etc. But the book kept trying to be profound at the same time, which only helped make the tone confusing to grasp.
Ultimately I think this is too long and not to the point for young middle grade readers, and too dumbed down for older middle grade readers. It lets me wondering what the target age even is.

First of all thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

I really liked this book. The character of Zella provided lots of humour and quirkiness. Lots of funny moments throughout but also some really touching scenes. The ending was top tier for me.

I didn’t think the multiple POVs from all different characters was necessarily needed. I would’ve been fine with just reading Zella’s POV. It was also a touch too long, with the main event of the prank not happening until well into the book.

For that reason, it’s a 4 star for me. The message of this book is beautiful and I’d recommend to young readers everywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This middle-grade contemporary novel touches on big themes of family and friendship, and I was excited by its premise. However, the book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. The synopsis mentions a prank gone wrong, but that event doesn’t occur until over 60% into the story. While this could have worked with a shorter buildup, it feels unnecessarily long at nearly 500 pages. The novel switches between multiple perspectives, which is interesting but unnecessary. If it were narrowed down to three perspectives, it would have sped up the pacing and prevented the story from dragging as much. Making it that much more enjoyable and also 200 pages shorter. The drawn-out buildup, especially leading up to the prank, made the story feel much slower than it should have been.

That said, the ending was genuinely touching. Zella taking responsibility for the prank and spreading kindness was an emotional moment. The theme of small acts of kindness was presented in a way that felt attainable and impactful, showing how it could truly ripple through a community. The full-circle conclusion really brought everything together in a satisfying way.

If not for the long-winded middle section, I would have rated this 4 stars.

Reading The Ripple Effect was like playing Jenga in the best way. Caprara carefully places each block that builds the small town of Kettleby, allowing readers to get to know a wide cast of characters from all walks of life. The story follows Zella Trudi, whose characterization will resonate with weird kids everywhere, as she tries to figure out how to leave a lasting impact on her elementary school before leaving for middle school. As we follow Zella’s journey to achieve “GOAT” status for her school prank, a familiar knot of dread can be felt by readers as the Jenga bricks grow more and more precarious. When the tower inevitably collapses, Caprara works to create something beautiful from the wreckage, with Zella learning that her impact on her community does not start or end with just her.

The Ripple Effect takes the time to develop its world, which I find necessary so we can truly feel the impact of the end of the book. Without taking the time to let us know all the characters, there would be a missing sense of community that is necessary for the main message of the story.

I can easily see schools reading The Ripple Effect for book clubs, with a variety of project ideas available, from creating their own ice cream menus to developing their own #RippleEffectChallenge. What educators need to know going into this book is that it’s a longer read, with plenty of room for discussion about character development and predictions. I don’t know how well the social media theme will resonate with kiddos, but as an adult, I found it erred on the side of charming, not cringey.

For adult readers, pick this book up if you want to relive that feeling of transition and change from youth, when you realized that the world was so much more than what you can see in front of you. The entire final act left me with warm fuzzies and renewed my sense of optimism, a feeling that is desperately needed in the stressful times we live in. Be ready to crave ice cream by the end! It’s the dead of winter right now, and all I can think about is a tasty scoop of Raspberry Ripple.

I think that future editions of this book could benefit from a "book club questions" section at the end to help educators and encourage discussion amongst kiddos. Additionally, in fitting with the social media theme, it would be cool to see #RippleEffectChallenge used to share random acts of kindness by the publisher or author.

If The Ripple Effect were an ice cream flavor, I think it would taste of orange blossom syrup and pistachios, unique, sweet, light, and a little nutty at times.

The central theme of the book, according to me, was that the voices and strength of many can help portend a positive change. A sense of community and how paying forward acts of kindness can do wonders.

An uplifting tale about the transformative power of kindness, The Ripple Effect tells the story of Marzella Marie Trudi, whose life is on the cusp of monumental change and she is WORRIED.

The ice-cream shop, which was started by her grandparents, and which her parents run now, might be in trouble. Her two best friends Janea and Bowie are more interested in fashion and music, and Marzella, who earned herself the moniker of class clown is worried that she hasn't thought of the brilliant prank idea before she graduates from the sixth grade.

Disaster strikes when she does execute her prank, and Marzella is dismayed. With everyone disappointed or angry at her, Marella begs for a chance to redeem herself, and when the residents of her locality acquiesce, Marzella begins what is termed as the Ripple Effect, a kind of pay it forward act, where each act of kindness is paid forward, thus having a profound positive effect of the residents of Kettleby.

I like how the narrative switched its POV— having multiple characters tell the story apart from the main character offers an insight into their lives and. perception of the same events, an overall narrative for an unbiased look and understanding.

There's a touch on inexplicable lightness in the story, and it is joyous to read.

The Ripple Effect offers a sweet and thoughtful look at second chances. Zella wants to be known for pulling off the best prank in 6th grade. When that prank ends up going sideways Zella has to decide how to make it right with her classmates. The Ripple Effect shows us that friendship and small acts of kindness can change not only one heart, but a whole community's.

I really loved Zella's character. She is spunky, distracted, overzealous and fun, with a good heart.

This book was on the longer side with maybe one too many point of views. But the ending saved this book from being a 3 start to a 4 star.

Topics include - friendship, a grandparent with dementia, a character with neurodiversity, family, popularity, community, and second chances.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read this eARC. All thoughts and opinions are of my own.

The Ripple Effect is a perfect story for a Grade 5-8 student. It involves an ice cream shop, a school prank and all of the real life issues of this age. I really connected with the characters and the story as it was perfectly relatable. This is a perfect novel for a public, school or personal library.

Thank you NetGalley, Rebecca Caprara and Charlesbridge for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions expressed are my own.

This title is expected to be released Feb. 18, 2025.

Middle grade contemporaries should not be, and feel, this long.

The pacing of the story dragged so much. It took about 250 pages for the prank to actually happen because so much page space was, in my opinion, wasted on repetitive thoughts and POVs from to many side characters. With the latter problem, I do understand why Caprara chose to include them, because they show what these kids and adults were going through and how Zella's actions directly impacted them, but I feel like this could have been accomplished if the POV had just stayed in Zella's head.

Other than that, the story as a whole was fine. Again, kids talking about social media, about likes, followers, and algorithms, will never not be weird to me (Especially if a certain ban goes through in the States and instantly ages any mentions and plots revolving around TikTok), but the story is still very grounded and relatable through themes of dementia, divorce, identity, and so on.

I can only hope the kids this book is intended for will enjoy it, because I'm disappointed I didn't.

First of all, I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me this free ARC to read, and I am thankful to read this one. I would like to thank the publisher of this book, which is Charlesbridge, for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. Lastly, I would like to thank the Author for writing this beautiful book and I'm glad to found this nice book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I found this book on NetGalley, which is why I picked this book. I loved reading middle-grade books until now, which reminds me of my childhood. This book is a free advance reader copy, and I always love picking free ARCs from the Netgalley website. I would like to recommend this book to my fellow readers to read this book and share it with some other readers. So, I would give this book 4 out of 5 stars, and this review will be posted on my Goodreads account.

I love the spelling of The Ripple Effect but it was quite slow to get going. I feel like my Middle Schoolers would enjoy the story once they got there but to get to that point would take determination that not all of them have. Having said that, if they did get to the main part of the story I think they would enjoy it

I love the message of The Ripple Effect! Zella may have started off all wrapped up in her own stuff, but she learns some valuable lessons about kindness. I was tearing up by the end of this great book!

Looking to settle down with a fun Children's Fiction read? Pick The Ripple Effect by Rebecca Caprara for unlimited fun that also tickles your little grey cells.

The story centers around Marzella Trudi, better known to us as Zella, and her antics that seem to have given her quite the reputation. At the cusp of heading to middle school, she wants to leave her mark before she leaves sixth grade. With the help of her two best friends, Bowie and Janea, she prepares to go out with a bang and ace the school-sanctioned prank.

What happens next? Is the prank a success? These questions form the remainder of the story.

The multiple perspectives of the children in the story make for lovely reading. There's also the town of Kettleby voicing its thoughts. From the struggles of a single parent (Zella's mom) to the issues faced by Alzheimer patients and a plethora of socially relevant themes, the book is a reminder of why the Ripple Effect matters, especially in today's times!

A very cute story with a wonderful message of kindness. Perfect for young fans of the narration style of Linked, as the entire town gets to live through short snippets, but spearheaded by Zella, who has exuberance, spunk, and heart. Though she is often misguided, she will be very relatable to young readers in her desire to make people laugh.

Only note was that it was pretty long, so that might be off-putting to some readers. It took a while to get to the message of kindness and to get to the prank gone wrong, which was in the description and in a lot of the marketing for this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Charlesbridge for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Zella is a great character, but has an overactive imagination when trying to plan her class prank. I felt that this book was kind of long for a middle grade book. But I did like all the characters and the families. I liked learning about this small town and the descriptions of it. I felt like I was there with these characters. I liked the ice cream shop too and how hard Zella's grandparents had worked to open it and make it a town staple.
I really enjoyed the last few chapters, when the "ripple effect" comes into play. That made my heart so happy.

Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Zella lives in Kettleby, a small New England town, with her mother and grandfather. Her grandmother, who started Trudi's Treats, the ice cream shop the family lives above, has passed away, and her grandfather is struggling with vascular dementia after a stroke. Zella is in 6th grade, and as the end of the year approaches, is obsessed with masterminding the greatest prank the school has ever known. It's a tradition, and while there are rules, the administration is okay with it. Zella walks to school with her friend Janae, who is interested in posting her fashion creations on ClicqueClok, and Bowiw, who is struggling a bit since his parents' divorce. The other students are as excited about the prank as they are about the class trip to Bayborough Beach, except for the new kid, Declan. Declan seems to be planning something, which irritates Zella, since he's also a social media sensation with his gaming and Zella is struggling to come up with ideas. We also meet Shelby, an aspiring investigative journalist a year younger than Zella, who wants the scoop on whatever goes on. The chapters are headed with the name of the person from whose perspective the story is told; we even get the views of the town sometimes! Things are rough at home for Zella, since the ice cream store isn't doing well financially, and her mother is very harried trying to run it while keeping the grandfather safe. Zella eventually figures out that the class prank could be a spin on yarn bombing after she meets a woman who is involved in Fiber Riot, and it's also a good way to use some of her grandmother's yarn. It also makes sense and is a little philosophical, because the school mascot is the spindle, since the town had been home to a sock factory. Zella manages to get a lot more supplies, including scarves and sweaters to use in the yarn installation in the school. She tries to follow the rules and stay safe, but does use the sculpture of a spindle, of which the principal is very proud, in the installation. The day of the prank starts off with the front door being inaccessible because a storm has felled a tree in front of it, but the prank goes well... until the principal pulls the rope that Zella added without her classmates knowing. A banner unfurls, but is unstable, and ends up damaging the spindle and a showcase, and one of the teachers is showered with a bucket of glitter. The principal says that the class trip to the beach will be canceled unless someone owns up to the damage. Zella does, and the principal makes her a deal; the prank tradition started as more of a community service project but has gone awry, and if Zella can pull off a service project, the class can go. After Zella's grandfather wanders off in the rain and Shelby helps her find him and bring him home, Zella gives Shelby two ice cream gift certificates. Shelby, in turn, gives them to two other people, giving Zella the idea of the "ripple effect" project that spreads joy around the town and even helps the family business.
Strengths: Zella is an exuberant but misguided middle school student who is concerned about her legacy and her reputation with her classmates, but doesn't pay attention to her friends as closely as she should. This is very realistic. Everyone in the book has problems of some sort; Declan's sister is in the hospital, Bowie has to travel between households, and even grocery store owner Ruby struggles with her store on delivery days. This makes the town ripe for Zella's plan, and even helps her mother's business by cleaning up a nearby abandoned lot. The yarn bombing was intriguing, and the link to the town's industrial past was informative. There are lots of good details about what it is like to run an ice cream shop, and good descriptions of the flavors!
Weaknesses: This was on the long side (400 pages) and had a lot going on. Also, I found it hard to believe that any school administration would condone a prank of any kind, or allow the trip to continue when the money clearly needed to be spent on replacing the showcase that was broken. (Even small ones would run $3,000.) I can't imagine the custodians were pleased with the clean up.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers want to make the world a better place and enjoyed Hurwitz's The Summer I Saved the World-- in 65 days or Shienmel's The Kindness Club series.

This was really cute! It started off a bit slow but once it picked up I was hooked. Zella is an endearing protagonist who I think a lot of kids will relate to. When her big end-of-the-year prank backfires, she’s given another chance and uses that opportunity to spread kindness in her small town.

The story is told from various alternating perspectives, so each chapter feels more like a short story featuring a different narrator. Set somewhere in New England, Kettleby is a charming small town with a vibrant cast of characters. I really enjoyed getting little snapshots into each character’s life, from Zella’s friends to the various residents of Kettleby. Connections are made as Zella’s challenge takes off, proving that a little kindness can go a long way.