MILLIE FLEUR'S WORST DAY EVER

A tough start turns into a good day.

Millie Fleur, a goofy goth girl bearing a resemblance to Wednesday Addams, has finally settled into her new town, Garden Glen. This latest entry in the series finds her preparing for the Butterbloom Fest. She wants to make her “whizbang wonder cake” for the bake-off; in her eagerness to succeed, she sets herself up for failure. She stays up too late researching and wakes up with a case of the “morgenmuffels,” a grouchy mood embodied by a crew of fluffy monsters sporting spiky purple horns and tiny purple pants. Millie’s ill-fated pastry preparation produces a towering, teetering cake monster with drippy blue icing and googly eyes. Millie treks to the festival carrying the cake, the morgenmuffels, and an unwieldy assortment of household objects on her back. Utterly overwhelmed but refusing assistance, she topples over with a tremendous crash. Her friends swoop in to help and to share their own struggles. With their kind support, Millie’s first festival soon becomes a happy one—enjoyably imperfect and perfectly enjoyable. Mandin’s text is light and friendly, with ample alliteration. Fair festivities include the “Big Bubble Battle” and the “Perfect Pet Parade.” Cartoonish illustrations highlight Garden Glen’s quaint cuteness while also capturing the literal weight of Millie’s frustration. Millie is pale-skinned; her friend group is diverse.

A silly, sweet story about managing mess-ups and accepting support.