Praise for The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls
The US edition of The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls, has recieved an amazing FIVE starred reviews!
A May/June 2025 Kids' Indie Next List Pick • An Amazon “Top 20 Children's book of the year so far” • An Amazon “Best children's books of 2025 so far: ages 9 to 12” • An Amazon “Best Book of June for Ages 9-12"
★ “[W]ill delight [readers]…[A] joyful world of nonstop suspense that manages to be a mashup of Charles Dickens and Roald Dahl…Intriguing, comical sidebars delineate these lessons…There is empowerment galore as Maggie and her Midwatch pals perform James Bond-like feats—as well as prose full of madcap energy and glorious humor…Rossell’s wonderfully imaginative illustrations heighten the creative fun. Like the Harry Potter series, this book centers on a rather unusual school—but, instead of magic, this one is based on girl power, smarts and ingenuity. The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls is a zany romp, filled with humor, attitude, kindness and edge-of-your seat adventure.” – BookPage, starred review
★ “[An] extraordinary adventure…Rich, quirky language and a well-imagined early-20th-century setting…provide an immersive backdrop for the girls’ foray into detective work…Terrifically evocative black-and-white illustrations extend the narrative…Cinematic, amusing, and exciting: a slightly subversive, delightfully empowering, all-around winner.” – Kirkus, starred review
★ “[A] subversive and captivating examination of adventure, lifelong learning, and sisterhood…Action and adventure abound in this German- and art deco–inspired world, which comes to life via b&w illustrations throughout.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review
★ “[T]he Institute’s imaginative details are what steal the show. Secret entrances, hidden rooms, a rooftop ropes course, disguises, a multi-tool made to look like a doll—it’s a spy fan’s dream…As [the girls] gain skills and confidence, they also find belonging and madcap adventure. Jeepers, it’s thrilling!”
– Booklist, starred review
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.
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