The warm, loving relationship between Stella and Marigold is at the heart of these books.
Book 1: Stella & Marigold
Stella, who’s seven, likes cats and axolotls and second grade. But most of all, she likes Marigold. Marigold, who’s four, likes gibbons and red paint and the plumber. But most of all, she likes Stella. Stella and Marigold do all the regular things that kids do—like going to school and playing with their friends, like sometimes going to the zoo and sometimes getting sick—but even the most regular things have a secret side. For instance, there was a secret involving a blanket. And another one, about wolves, a terrible storm, and two brave children. That was a very exciting secret, and no one knows about it but Stella and Marigold. And you, if you read the book!
I especially loved the seventh and final story in book one - The Brave Children. Here is the Kirkus Star review.
Book 2: Stella & Marigold: Mermaids and Mix-Ups
Stella and Marigold live with their parents in the half-house. But in other houses in other cities, there are other people who were part of Stella and Marigold’s family. One of them is Cousin Judy, who sends them lots and lots of presents for no reason at all. One day, for no reason at all, she sent them a purple present. It was a book, and in the book, they were supposed to list their friends. That’s when Stella and Marigold discovered they didn’t have enough friends. They needed to make more. But how? With flowers? With magical recipes to make snow fall? With lots of nice Bandaids? How about a mermaid candleholder? The two sisters are full of ideas and plans. Maybe they turn out and maybe they don’t, but luckily, Stella and Marigold always have a best friend at home.
Book 3: Stella & Marigold: Past and Presents
Nowadays, Stella and Marigold live in the half-house. But the half-house is very old, so they are not the only children who have ever lived there. One surprising day, they discover that there was another girl, maybe named Ziamara, who not only lived in the half-house, but drew on the wall. And who not only drew on the wall but left secret presents for Stella and Marigold. And who not only left secret presents but maybe went all the way up to the roof of the house! Inspired by this hero from the past, Stella and Marigold make great plans for the future.
I listened to a podcast this week where Sophie Blackall talked about creating Stella and Marigold with Annie Burrows. I had seen the covers of the two books in this series from 2024 but I had not read them. The first book is just a delight - it would be a fantastic book to read aloud in your family or as a gift for a young reader aged 7+ AND if you are in a school library this is a must add series for your collection. The paperback editions are very affordable. Here is a video where Sophie Blackall talks about the series. See inside book one here.
Here are a few quotes from the podcast (you can read it from the transcript or listen):
Bianca: Stella or Marigold: who are you most like?
Sophie: I’m definitely Stella. I can’t even pretend for a second that I’m Marigold, but I love Marigold with my whole heart. She makes me laugh so much. She is such a person; she is so real to me. But I’m more like Stella, always wanting to do the right thing and be responsible.
Bianca: What do you love most about working with Annie (Burrows), or about her as a person, that people might not get from the books alone?
Sophie: Annie has a way of channeling childhood like no other writer I know. She is right there, and she finds all the incredibly specific things that, as soon as we’re reacquainted with them, come back in a rush of “Yes, that is what it feels like to be a child.” A child’s sense of time, a child’s sense of injustice, a child’s sense of who they are. ...
With Annie, it’s really a lot about characters and finding how to convey all of Marigold’s feelings in a spread. Marigold patting a banana because she feels sorry for it. Marigold wondering what dust tastes like, because she’s so bored she can’t think of a single other thing to do except get on her hands and knees and pick dust out of the crevices in the floor. Marigold waiting a hundred years for her sister Stella to come back from school, because that’s how long it feels. ...
When Annie was thinking about names, she came up with Stella because Stella is celestial. She is cool, composed, and ethereal in a way, a wise soul like a star. Marigold is hot and close to the ground. She has big feelings. So in the books, I drew Stella in cool colors, and Marigold is always in reds, yellows, and oranges, and she bursts off the page.
Reviewers compare Stella and Marigold with Beezus and Ramona but for me the tone beautifully matches the Miller Family series by Kevin Henkes - especially the books with Sal as the central character.
I also thought of the Violet Mackerel series:
You library might also have another series about sisters (twins in this case) - Ling and Ting by Grace Lin (4 books).
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