Scan barcode
A review by nina_reads_books
The Unadoptables by Hana Tooke
4.0
Egbert, Lotta, Sem, Fenna, and Milou are called the “Unadoptables” by Matron Gassbeek who runs the Little Tulip orphanage in Amsterdam. Each child was left at the orphanage 11 years ago in unusual circumstances and none have been adopted yet. They are firm friends and work together against the awful Matron who is secretly profiting from the adoption process. Milou is often the spokesperson and she clings fast to her belief that her parents will be back at any moment to save her.
One day the Matron sells all five children to an evil merchant who wants to use them as slaves on his ship. Milou convinces the children to plan a daring escape and using a recently found clue they set off to find Milou’s parents. Eventually they come across an abandoned windmill which belongs to Bram Poppenmaker (a master puppeteer) who the children believe is Milou’s father. They hide out at the windmill and try to fend off attention from a nosy neighbour, the orphanage and the evil Meneer Rotman.
This is a thrilling tale of adventure and the joy and companionship of a “found” family. These five children each with different skills and talents are all instrumental in saving the day. They feel they are siblings and their love and devotion to each other was so heart-warming.
There seems to be quite a divisive take on this book. There are numerous low reviews on Goodreads focussing on the title The Unadoptables and the implication from the blurb that because the five children are each a little “different” that this book is a negative take on adopted children. I know I can’t speak for adopted children or adoptive parents but I could only see positives from the book. The awful Matron is a symbol for so many stories that have come before – the terrible authority figure that punishes the orphan child before they are finally undone.
The love that these five children have for each other shines through and I felt this middle grade fiction was a lovely and entertaining journey.
One day the Matron sells all five children to an evil merchant who wants to use them as slaves on his ship. Milou convinces the children to plan a daring escape and using a recently found clue they set off to find Milou’s parents. Eventually they come across an abandoned windmill which belongs to Bram Poppenmaker (a master puppeteer) who the children believe is Milou’s father. They hide out at the windmill and try to fend off attention from a nosy neighbour, the orphanage and the evil Meneer Rotman.
This is a thrilling tale of adventure and the joy and companionship of a “found” family. These five children each with different skills and talents are all instrumental in saving the day. They feel they are siblings and their love and devotion to each other was so heart-warming.
There seems to be quite a divisive take on this book. There are numerous low reviews on Goodreads focussing on the title The Unadoptables and the implication from the blurb that because the five children are each a little “different” that this book is a negative take on adopted children. I know I can’t speak for adopted children or adoptive parents but I could only see positives from the book. The awful Matron is a symbol for so many stories that have come before – the terrible authority figure that punishes the orphan child before they are finally undone.
The love that these five children have for each other shines through and I felt this middle grade fiction was a lovely and entertaining journey.