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4.24 AVERAGE
4.24 AVERAGE
adventurous
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group for the gifted copy of The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls.
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell is adventurous, inspiring, and a little bit quirky. This whimsical story is great for young readers who like Matilda. I loved the artwork and the added “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know.”
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell is adventurous, inspiring, and a little bit quirky. This whimsical story is great for young readers who like Matilda. I loved the artwork and the added “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know.”
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A lovely story with brilliant worldbuilding, delightful cast of characters and an intriguing mystery. I loved the illustrations. Additionally, it is a beautifully designed book, the publisher did an incredible job.
For a kids book I adored it and I can imagine many kids loving this too.
For a kids book I adored it and I can imagine many kids loving this too.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
After disrupting the peace at her previous orphanage, Maggie Fishbone is sent to The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls - a place that promised to tame her wild ways and make her sufficiently miserable. To her great surprise, the Institute was not dreadful at all led by the benevolent and cunning Miss Adelia Mandalay. Maggie and her fellow new classmates, Sofie and Nell, fit in well with the other first years, proving their worth by training and eventually solving mysteries. The charming illustrations and the included “excerpts from Useful Things Every Girl Should Know by Miss Mandalay,” are just the icing on the cake!
This story was the absolute “cat’s pajamas." It is equally mysterious, whimsical, and humorous. Many have compared this story to The Swifts and The Series of Unfortunate Events, which I can get behind. This was a joy to read and is highly recommended for all middle grade mystery lovers.
adventurous
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This really is the cat’s whiskers *and* the lizard’s pajamas. The daughter would’ve loved this as a young reader. It’s exciting and inspiring (for good mischief and fun) and the illustrations are incredible. Highly recommend.
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This reminds me of several other favorites like The Mysterious Benedict Society. These smart girls live in a pseudo early 1900s germanic world with airships and bad guys and occasionally monsters but handle all of it brilliantly. The girls don't have arguments with each other – they're too busy solving crimes and making the world a better place.
The book is complimented by little illustrations every few pages and some helpful guides on things girls should know how to do like walking quietly, Morse code, escaping an alligator, and getting out of quicksand.
The plot is fun and exciting, always full of whimsy and entertainment. These girls are used to being told they aren't expected to do much but clean and sew, but they and their teachers don't let that stop them. While there are grown-ups that give them guidance and help keep them safe, it's the girls who are the heroes of the story.
It can be a little tricky to tell the girls apart because there are so many of them. The three that come in at the same time have distinct personalities and backgrounds, but even they blend together when things get going. Even our main character, Maggie, starts out with an interesting background, but we rarely get her perspectives on things and she seems like just another of the girls after a while. While I love that there are a lot of girls and it's fun to imagine all these girls out doing their different jobs, I wish I'd been able to get to see them more as individuals instead of “girl name here” whenever there was action. It made it hard to make the book take on a found family feeling when I couldn't tell them apart.
I hope that this book turns into a series because I would love to see more characterization of the girls and more exciting adventures.
The book is complimented by little illustrations every few pages and some helpful guides on things girls should know how to do like walking quietly, Morse code, escaping an alligator, and getting out of quicksand.
The plot is fun and exciting, always full of whimsy and entertainment. These girls are used to being told they aren't expected to do much but clean and sew, but they and their teachers don't let that stop them. While there are grown-ups that give them guidance and help keep them safe, it's the girls who are the heroes of the story.
It can be a little tricky to tell the girls apart because there are so many of them. The three that come in at the same time have distinct personalities and backgrounds, but even they blend together when things get going. Even our main character, Maggie, starts out with an interesting background, but we rarely get her perspectives on things and she seems like just another of the girls after a while. While I love that there are a lot of girls and it's fun to imagine all these girls out doing their different jobs, I wish I'd been able to get to see them more as individuals instead of “girl name here” whenever there was action. It made it hard to make the book take on a found family feeling when I couldn't tell them apart.
I hope that this book turns into a series because I would love to see more characterization of the girls and more exciting adventures.
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I adored reading this book. Orphan girl is left at the Institute and first impressions show it's a sad dreadful place, but as soon as the nun leaves, the school is revealed to be a wonderful academy where girls can learn all sorts of relevant and important things that all girls should know, like fencing, morse code, different knots, how to throw... or bake a chocolate cake to fight shock. Haha, the humor is subtle, smart, and sweet.
Usually, only older students get to solve mysteries and save the city (in secret), but this time, three new girls who arrive at the Institute at the same time end up friends and taking charge of the headmaster's disappearance, and that means they all have different skills that will come in handy in a great adventure.
The illustrations are magnific.
Usually, only older students get to solve mysteries and save the city (in secret), but this time, three new girls who arrive at the Institute at the same time end up friends and taking charge of the headmaster's disappearance, and that means they all have different skills that will come in handy in a great adventure.
The illustrations are magnific.
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes