Set in 1889 England, fourteen-year-old Winifred (Winnie) is breaking stereotypes and paving her way in the field of STEM. She has been inspired by her father who is a professor/inventor and her hero Thomas Edison. Winnie pays no mind to the fact that it is a male-dominated field or that she is expected to become a wife and a homemaker. She loves nothing more than tinkering and inventing purposeful gadgets from stolen kitchen utensils. She even enters one of her designs into a prestigious competition for young inventors under the name ‘Fred’ (as girls are not permitted to enter) so she can get her invention noticed.
Headstrong Winnie has been expelled from many elite London girls’ schools for being incorrigible and wayward. She currently lives at Beacon Academy for Poised and Polished Young Ladies, and despite often being reprimanded, her work as a talented ‘inventress’ does not go unnoticed. In a veil of secrecy, Winnie is called upon to join a league of spies to protect the Queen. An iniquitous stalker, labelled ‘Mr Magpie’, is tormenting the Queen and the Royal Family by sabotaging high-profile events with their evil antics. The league’s mission is to stop potential threats and to catch the villain.
However, the Queen is not the only person with troubles. There is more evil lurking. Winnie’s father has gone missing, and it becomes clear that his disappearance has sinister undertones. Yet Winnie is warned against helping her father and is asked to focus her attention on serving the Queen.
Her Majesty’s League of Remarkable Young Ladies is a captivating middle grade historical fiction novel with an intelligent and determined female protagonist. The book’s themes include persistence, resourcefulness, STEM, friendship, and courage. It is highly recommended for an audience 10 years and older who enjoy mystery and adventure stories with a good vs evil trope.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.