NELL OF GUMBLING

Things do not go as planned for young Nell.

In the magical world of Gumbling lives bespectacled 12-year-old Nell Starkeeper, her two younger siblings, and her star-farming parents, Dad and Pa. More than anything, aspiring artist Nell wants to be assigned as an apprentice to famous painter Wiz Bravo. However, when the apprenticeships are announced by teacher Ms. Garlic, she learns she’s been placed with formidable, dour Mrs. Birdneck, the Town Lorekeeper. Nell is averse to both Mrs. Birdneck and the lorekeeping archives, which are housed in a cold, dark dungeon. Her two best friends, Gilligan Bugg, a Thumbkin, and Myra Didwell, who is half fairy, got their preferred apprenticeships, something that brings Nell down further. When a wily duo of human developers arrives from New York City, claiming to be long-lost relatives of a past ruler and planning to transform quaint Gumbling into a bustling resort, Nell and her friends use their newfound apprentice skills and the power of friendship to try to save their beloved kingdom. Steinkellner’s vibrant and fun series opener is a delight that captures the ups and downs of tweendom with whimsy and panache. Through her missteps, Nell’s journey to finding her own happiness is wholly engaging. The charming art supports the cleverly wrought worldbuilding, including details readers will pore over and alternating between pages of text with illustrations and traditional comic panels. Most characters present white; Myra reads Black.

A feel-good tale of friendship, community, and unexpected joy.