The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A whimsical, adventure-filled mystery about a young orphan at the edge of society who finds herself at the center of a city's secrets. For fans of The Swifts and A Series of Unfortunate Events.
"I was hooked from the beginning … Move over Lemony Snicket!" —Karen Foxlee, award-winning author of Lenny’s Book of Everything
EDGAR AWARD NOMINEE
A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: New York Public Library, Chicago Public Library, NPR, Kirkus Reviews
An ALSC 2026 Notable Children’s Book
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.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Tween Maggie Fishbone is unceremoniously whisked away from Mud Harbor Orphanage to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls in this subversive and captivating examination of adventure, lifelong learning, and sisterhood by Rossell (Wakestone Hall). Midwatch is nothing like the cheerless facility presented by its carefully maintained facade, and, upon arrival, Maggie learns that director Adelia Mandelay has cultivated a place of wonder that welcomes intersectionally diverse girls of all ages. As Maggie settles in alongside fellow first-years Nell and Sofie, whose hand was damaged in a circus accident, she's soon pulled into investigations of local crimes at Miss Mandelay's behest—after all, "being girls is a big advantage, because nobody suspects us, so we can go places without being noticed, and talk to kids, and find out things the police can't." Periodic interstitials titled "Useful Things Every Girl Should Know"—presented as excerpts from a book of the same name by Miss Mandelay—provide bite-size lessons, including ones on how to escape an alligator, how to dance the Charleston, how to shout extremely loudly, and more. Action and adventure abound in this German- and art deco–inspired world, which comes to life via b&w illustrations throughout. Ages 8–12.
