The Wonder Girls

Unlikely friends, despicable villains, and deadly peril – can a renegade gang stop the Blackshirts sending orphans to Hitler? The Wonder Girls is a kick-ass historical adventure with kindness, inclusion and hope at its heart.

ENGLAND 1936: The Blackshirts are marching and Londoners are on the streets resisting them. In the chaos, a terrified, golden-haired girl pulls street-thief Baby from certain death. But Blackshirts overpower them and seize the girl. Baby tracks the Blackshirts to the coast where she finds a railway carriage hidden in brambles, a gang of renegade girls and thirteen-year-old Ida, trying to protect her golden-haired little sister ...

The Wonder Girls is a fast-paced, full-hearted, total romp of an adventure ... The story starts with Baby being saved from the crush of a Blackshirts’ march by a golden-haired angel of a girl, who promptly gets kidnapped by sinister grown-ups in a fancy car. Baby, fiercely loyal and warm-hearted, determines to save her Goldilocks girl; she and Fingers set off from London to the south coast town of Nettlefield, in hot pursuit of Baby’s saviour. Meanwhile, Ida is trying to come to terms with the fact her Mum is soon to die, while also worried sick about losing her little sister Bonnie to the terrifying and mysterious Nettlefield Grange Orphanage, run by Mrs Bullar. Alone, neither Baby nor Ida are equipped to deal with the reality of what’s going on in the orphanage. Together with the help of a cast of marvellously colourful characters, they might just stand a chance... Any child who loves stories of adventure, chutzpah and heart will rattle through this book and be desperate for more. In short, The Wonder Girls is a real winner of a book." Georgina Lippiet, in-common.co.uk

‘This story is full of heart racing moments, incredible bravery and girl power in the face of fascism... I was gripped from the first chapter and my heart was pounding, not daring to turn the page at some points but always feeling that I wanted more. It is a fabulous story and I have high hopes for it in this golden age of Children’s fiction. Erin Lyn Hamilton, myshelvesarefull.wordpress.com

‘an engaging and dramatic read which is crying out to be adapted for children’s TV’ Julie Ballard on Goodreads

‘I read an early draft of this & was BLOWN AWAY! Can’t wait to read the full story!’ Emma Carroll on Twitter

‘Glorious and life-affirming: girl power 1930s-style. These girls will wriggle their way into your heart.’ Sue Wallman, author, Egmont

The Wonder Girls is a delightful adrenaline filled adventure that shines a light on a very dark aspect of British history whilst bringing a good dose of fun with its eccentric cast, yet not shying away from difficult themes. In The book J.M. Carr expertly balances the emotional personal stories of the individual characters and peril whilst maintaining a historical setting that is so real it is almost tangible. Sally Poyton, Space on the Bookshelf.blogspot.com

... it is the focus on family, friendship and loyalty that makes a lasting impression. Throughout the interwoven story lines of Baby, Fingers and and Sophie at the start and following Ida Barnes next, the whole tale is fundamentally warmhearted. There is peril, and girl power, and fascist louts – but the core is both humane and full of hope. K.M Lockwood, kmlockwood.com/writersreviews