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A review by stephbookshine
The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke
4.0
As an adult, I really enjoyed this middle-grade adventure, but my middle-grader (8) found it just a little too dark for her tastes - she was a bit spooked with talk about death and dead people.
The main characters are brilliant - Milou, Sem, Lotta, Egg and Fenna, each with their own unique quirks and skills - and the author really brings historical Amsterdam to life. Best of all, though, are the puppet shows and creepy stories, adding a whimsical, fantasy element to the core story of five orphans looking for a family and a happy ever after together.
There is lots of action and adventure, some lovely morals about friendship, problem-solving and self-sufficiency, in fact I don't think I've read such independent and able children since the days of Enid Blyton, E. Nesbit and Joan Aiken!
This would be a great read for older independent readers, or those (like my 5 year old) who don't mind a bit of creepiness (he LOVES the story, even though some of it went right over his head!). For reading as a chapter book at bedtimes, it might be a little too much for a peaceful night's sleep!
The main characters are brilliant - Milou, Sem, Lotta, Egg and Fenna, each with their own unique quirks and skills - and the author really brings historical Amsterdam to life. Best of all, though, are the puppet shows and creepy stories, adding a whimsical, fantasy element to the core story of five orphans looking for a family and a happy ever after together.
There is lots of action and adventure, some lovely morals about friendship, problem-solving and self-sufficiency, in fact I don't think I've read such independent and able children since the days of Enid Blyton, E. Nesbit and Joan Aiken!
This would be a great read for older independent readers, or those (like my 5 year old) who don't mind a bit of creepiness (he LOVES the story, even though some of it went right over his head!). For reading as a chapter book at bedtimes, it might be a little too much for a peaceful night's sleep!