I really enjoyed this book, with one concern towards it being a childrens/middle grade book. There were Italian phrases and words that I had to look up as I was reading. And as great as this is to learn something new, I know some kids will probably just get frustrated and not finish it. Other than that, I absolutely loved this book and I think it is a great introduction to the fantasy/magical worlds out there. I loved that our heroine, Giada, was misunderstood and felt like she could never do right. She wanted to be different than her family because she felt a calling towards a different path and this was frowned upon. I love the sibling dynamic of the story because I think a lot of kids can relate to one of their siblings seeming to be the “golden child”. I enjoyed all the magic creatures that we met along the way! I feel like a lot of thought went through the planning of this story. I’m especially excited to let my nephew read this as he is a huge animal lover and I think it will be perfect for him. I can’t wait to read the next one!