by Amelia Mellor

This is far and away my favourite new middle-grade book this Christmas. It’s brilliantly exciting, and it takes place in the most magical place in the world, a bookshop!  The Grandest Bookshop is based on the real life Coles Book Arcade that was here in Melbourne in the 1800s, just with a little more magic! It’s full of thousands of books of course, but it also boasts a lolly shop with magic sweets, rooms of curiosities and wonders, an enchanted garden and even live monkeys and talking parrots. 

Pearl and Valley Cole grew up amongst the wonders of their father’s bookshop and they thought they knew all of its secrets. Unlike the rest of their siblings, they’re not great at performing magic, but when the mysterious Obscurosmith threatens to destroy everything, they make a dangerous bargain to attempt to save the bookshop and their family. Will they figure out the Obscurosmith’s devious games before it too late?

This is the most exiting kid’s fantasy novel I’ve picked up since Nevermoor! The historical Melbourne setting was also fantastic. Highly recommended for readers aged 9-12 who loved Nevermoor, Land of Stories and Harry Potter. 

- Reviewed by Kat

More magical middle-grade fiction….