Look, not every princess story needs a glass slipper or a talking teapot. Kristin Kladstrup gives us Adela, a girl who’s more interested in soil pH than the prince at the ball.

It’s a 2013 middle-grade pick that still holds up because it doesn't try too hard to be 'edgy.' It’s just a good story about a girl, a garden, and a very suspicious bird. If your kid is into nature or just tired of the usual 'chosen one' tropes, this is a quiet winner. It’s wholesome without being preachy and imaginative enough to keep them turning pages.