The Mountain of Dempsey Molehill by Julie Stroebel Barichello
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

Molehill starts with M. Mischief starts with Molehills. Dempsey Molehill and his siblings – practically-a-grownup Brom, responsible Tilly, pesky little brother Penn, and wild child Bandi – don’t mean to cause mischief. But somehow, they always find themselves smack dab in the middle of it. When Dempsey’s dad decides to run for mayor of Pickettstown, the five Molehill kids try to be on their best behavior. Unfortunately for Dempsey and his siblings, their “best behavior” includes luring bullies in muddy mayhem, casting Halloween curses, exploding appliances, and terrorizing classmates with Scrap the one-eared cat. Will their antics cost their dad the election? Or can the family band together to put the best Molehill foot forward? The Mountain of Dempsey Molehill is a humorous middle grade novel about life in rural Illinois, small-town politics, and growing up in a big, wild family.

There’s never a dull moment in a big family.

I liked the realistic approach to handling bullies and dealing with small town politics. Dempsey had been dealing with his bully for years, and he was just old enough to realize the sometimes more subtle ways adults can bully each other, too. Ms. Stroebel Barichello trusted her audience to make these connections and come up with our own conclusions about the downsides of living in a small town where some families are considered to be more important than other ones. That’s a complex topic that middle grade readers should have a chance to explore, and this is a great place to start.

There were a few times when I wished that Dempsey, his friends and his siblings had faced stricter consequences for their actions. While most of their hijinks were silly and harmless, there was an incident involving gunpowder being ignited that made me raise an eyebrow. This is something I’m saying as a reader who otherwise loved this tale, but that scene is a topic I’d want to have a frank discussion about with the elementary-school-aged kids in my life so that they’d know why the characters’ choices weren’t good ones.

There was a playful sense of humor in this book that made it just about impossible to put down. I couldn’t wait to see what sorts of mischief the Molehill children would get into next. From digging a pit in their backyard in the hopes of trapping any stray elephants that may be wandering around rural Illinois to kidnapping a pet rabbit, these kids were never short on wacky ideas to keep life interesting.

The Mountain of Dempsey Molehill was a wild ride.

Memoirs of Lady Greta by Heather Piper
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Middle Grade (8 – 12 y.o.), Contemporary
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Astilbe

The truth of a story often hinges on the perspective of the storyteller.

In her final hours, Lady Greta, an orphan adopted by the Kots, reflects on the pivotal events that led her to them. Her journey is recounted with poignant honesty, detailing her life with the Kots compared to haunting glimpses of her abusive past. As she faces death, she revisits her final adventure, offering a narrative that comes full circle with a surprising realization.

Her survival story unfolds through a kidnapping and a daring pet rescue, intertwined with the heartache and grief of losing a pet. The reader is guided from despair and doubt to a journey of faith, hope, and love.

Yet, Lady Greta’s story is more than just a straightforward tale. Told from her perspective, she omits a crucial detail that redefines the entire narrative. This twist forces the reader to question everything they’ve learned, demonstrating that perceptions can vary greatly depending on who tells the story.

Set against the backdrop of adventure, survival, and the grief of losing a pet, this narrative explores the complexities of perception, revealing that the truth is often more intricate—and no less heartbreaking—than it seems.

Adventures come in many forms.

Ms. Piper did a wonderful job of exploring a different perspective. Sometimes the Kots confused Lady Greta and vice versa, but there were excellent reasons for these misunderstandings for those who pay attention and think critically about what they’re reading. While I’d better not give any hints about who the protagonist really was, I enjoyed the process of figuring it out and thought those scenes were well done.

There were a few things about the timeline that I wish had been better explained. For example, how old was Lady Greta when the Kots adopted her and how old was Seven when these two met? This was set over such a long period of time that I was a little surprised by how many years it covered. Was this meant to be a subtle commentary on the different ways to think about how long a year is or was I supposed to take the protagonist at her word? I would have happily gone for a full five-star rating if this had been made clearer to me as a reader.

The ending was bittersweet and beautiful. Honestly, I don’t see how it could have been wrapped up in any other way, especially given the hints that were shared earlier on about what the characters were about to go through together. There’s something satisfying about seeing everything turn out the way it should and everyone get the fate they wanted and should have had. This doesn’t always happen in real life, so it’s marvelous to see in fiction.

Memoirs of Lady Greta made me grab a tissue and wish for a sequel.