[alert variation=”alert-info”]Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Formats: Hardcover, Kindle, eBook, Audible, Audio Book
Purchase: Powell’s | Amazon | IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | iBooks[/alert]
As fictitious as Jordan Stratford’s tale is, The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency draws on a remarkable amount of history to bring inspiring characters to life for young readers. Within the legacies of the Byron and Shelley families, Lady Ada Byron and Mary Godwin become fast friends – and colleagues. Combining their unique skills, the two young girls realize they are perfectly suited to run a detective agency.
“Mary covered her mouth as though she meant to scream but must not.”
Ada possesses genius qualities, and is somewhat socially awkward, but her character leaps off the page with charisma. As an example, in her experiment with the mass of things, Ada compares socks and hammers, and her musings about science cleverly share knowledge with readers. Family secrets, a stolen necklace, and the pursuit of truth bring these two detectives together on a journey in London, 1826.
Stratford includes a map for readers to follow, and shares a detailed Notes section full of facts that inspired Ada and Mary’s story. The author succinctly explains the real lives of Ada, Mary, their notable families, and their lasting impact on literature and science. The Case of the Missing Moonstone is the first in The Wollstonecraft Detective Agency series and what promises to be a classic for young modern sleuths.
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