If you’re going to suggest a book to your kids, you ought to know what’s in it! Because of that, Boardwell Books Publications would like to offer you a spoiler-free parents’ guide for Julia Witmer’s novel Ophelia Brown and the Unseen – Book 1 in the Ophelia Brown series.
Basic Summary
Ophelia Brown and the Unseen is a Middle Grade Fantasy novel aimed for ages 9+. However, this is just a suggestion, as the book does include some topics and content that may be unfit for some younger readers.
There’s more to the world than what you can see.
Ophelia Brown’s favorite thing to do this summer has been to go straight to Pinella Pass Baptist Church, head into the musty old basement, and hang out with the ancient quilting ladies who spend way too much of their time there. After all, Mama Maisie, the proverbial ringleader of the quilting ladies, knows everything there is to know about the most exciting thing ever: magic. To Ophelia and her friends, sacrificing the fresh summer air seems like a small price to pay for the sake of learning all about the Unseen Realm.
But not everything is fun and games in the Unseen Realm like it is in the church basement. Ophelia returns home one day to find her family gone and her house surrounded by goblins, and even though Mama Maisie says she has it under control, Ophelia can’t let her go after them alone. With sheer determination and her faithful friends by her side, Ophelia sets off on an exhilarating quest to set her family free from a world they can’t even see.
From the enchanting pages of this middle-grade fantasy comes a world of childhood games turned into living, breathing adventures. A perfect pick for fans of The Spiderwick Chronicles and Fablehaven.
Content Warnings
Book Reviewer and Author E.G. Bella summarized the necessary content warnings perfectly:
Content Warning: occasional very mild language (one usage of h*ck, d*rn, and g*sh), mild violence (references to the protagonist punching others and knocking others unconscious, as well as mention of a knife being drawn out during a fight), several arguments between friends (including several instances of name-calling: “stupid”), one mention of a small line of blood on the MC’s hand, and light fantasy elements (goblins, fairies, spells, frequent mention of magic).
E.G. Bella (read her review here)
Age Guidelines
This book is a Middle Grade fantasy novel, and therefore may be best suited for readers ages 9+. However, as mentioned above, some content may be “too much” for some 9+ readers, while some other younger readers may be safe to read the book’s content or have it read aloud to them.
This book is a perfect read for lovers of fantasy stories and for families looking for their next read-aloud. With a fun story, lovable characters, and intriguing fantasy world, this read could be perfect for you – so long as none of the content warnings above bother you.
Ready to buy your copy? You can find it here!
