Stella & Marigold

Starred review from July 15, 2024
The creators of Ivy & Bean return in this delightful series kickoff for early readers that follows sisters Stella and Marigold. In a beginning flashback, three-year-old Stella’s parents drop her off at her grandmother’s house, where she awaits their return from the hospital with her baby sister in tow. Upon the siblings’ first meeting, Stella promises to tell newborn Marigold “all the secret things I know,” a vow that sets the tone for the sisters’ budding relationship. After Marigold, now four, lies about having clogged the bathroom sink, her parents struggle to understand her decision-making processes. But older sister Stella, seven, “who explained the world to her,” has instant compassion for Marigold and helps to restore her confidence in herself and her relationships. Marigold in turn saves the day when a new girl threatens to steal Stella’s best friend. Short chapters by Barrows burst with vibrant and colorful illustrations by Blackall that bring the pale-skinned girls and their playful imaginations to life. The experience of being misunderstood by grown-ups is relatably rendered via the sisters’ interactions; readers will long for a sibling like Marigold or Stella. Ages 6–9.