Engaging Read - The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls

This is a lovely and enjoyable book! Engaging characters, steampunk setting, fun premise – I was hooked.

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell

From the publisher: Dial Books (May 27, 2025)

For fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events comes the story of a young orphan at the edge of society who finds herself at the center of a city’s secrets.

Maggie Fishbone is not expecting much when she’s sent to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls—the last resort after causing a ruckus at the orphanage where she was living. Except . . . the Institute isn’t some dreadful, dreary place like she thought.

Instead it’s full of curious girls training to solve mysteries, fight bad guys, and keep the city safe. In between fencing lessons and discovering all the shortcuts in the building, Maggie finds herself making friends at the Midwatch and finally feeling like she’s home. And when a woman goes missing, Maggie’s off on her first assignment, with each step leading her deeper into the secrets of the city.

With gorgeous black-and-white illustrations and pages of “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” (like how send messages in morse code and how to shout extremely loudly), The Midwatch is a whimsical, adventure-filled mystery from internationally bestselling author-illustrator Judith Rossell.

There’s so much to adore in this novel. The illustrations are fantastic, the Useful Things Every Girl Should Know are fun instructions interspersed throughout the book. There’s adventure all the way through and fabulous characters to meet. And who doesn’t enjoy saving a librarian?! And fighting against a glamorous villain? I hope there are more coming to make this a wonderful series. 

Awesome MG - The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

I have been away from posting for a few months. I've been to Canada a few times to see my mom, as her health declined. She is now free from earthly ties. But it's been a lot the past few months. This book has been one of the first I've read in quite a while to re-engage me and transport me, and I am very grateful for that.

The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman by Gennifer Choldenko

From the publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (June 11, 2024)

When eleven-year-old Hank’s mom doesn’t come home, he takes care of his toddler sister, Boo, like he always does. But it’s been a week now. They are out of food and mom has never stayed away this long… Hank knows he needs help, so he and Boo seek out the stranger listed as their emergency contact.

But asking for help has consequences. It means social workers, and a new school, and having to answer questions about his mom that he's been trying to keep secret. And if they can't find his mom soon, Hank and Boo may end up in different foster homes--he could lose everything.

This is a heart-wrenching, healing, and ultimately hopeful story about how complicated family can be. About how you can love someone, even when you can’t rely on them. And about the transformative power of second chances.

 

This book is so good – everything about it is good – the writing, editing, characters, setting, plot – perfect. Did I miss anything?

Hank is easy to identify with. We know what it’s like to make mistakes, hate making them, and the true cost of them. And what you would do to fix them.

It’s a personal story for Gennifer Choldenko. Every page rings true. Parents are people with flaws, addictions, and limitations. The cost of those things is the effects they have on the children and how they cope, compensate and do whatever it takes to be loved.

I’m sorry to have read this book so much later than when it originally came out. But I am so lucky to have a wonderful friend who gifted it to me. I am a big fan of Gennifer Choldenko and this book does not disappoint.