THE MIDWATCH INSTITUTE FOR WAYWARD GIRLS, by Judith Rossell, Dial Books, May 27, 2025, Hardcover, $18.99 (ages 8-12)
A young orphan at the edge of society finds herself at the center of a city’s secrets in The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls, by Judith Rossell.
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. —Synopsis provided by Dial Books
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls is one of a number of recent books with historical settings that focus on the education of girls and finding ways for them to achieve spectacular things within societal constraints. These sorts of books tend to resonate with girls in particular and do so with a lot of finesse.
In The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls, author Judith Rossell tells Maggie’s story with a whimsical flair. With a tone reminiscent of the Lemony Snicket books, Rossell’s prose is smart, snappy and laced with a dash of snark, making for a delightful read.
At the center of the story is Maggie, an orphan who’s never known life outside of an institution. She’s expecting the worst when she gets shipped off to Midwatch Institute, but quickly discovers the delights of learning and gains true friends for the first time in her life. It’s fun to see Maggie and her co-inductees come out of their shells as the story progresses.
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls features lovely black-and-white illustrations and pages of “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” that helps break up the text for readers who may otherwise be intimidated by the book’s 320 pages. This is a fun one to read by yourself or out loud.
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