Friday, April 17, 2020

Winterborne Home of Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter - ESSENTIAL

Winterborne Home of Vengeance and Valor by Ally Carter, 336 pages. Houghton Mifflin, 2020. $17.

Content: G (mild danger)

BUYING ADVISORY: EL, MS - ESSENTIAL

AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH

When orphan April, 10yo, joined the other children for a tour of the WInterborne museum, she didn’t expect to find a jewelry box that looks like a perfect match for the key that she has carried around her neck since her birth. When she sneaks back at night to get a closer look, she starts a fire and loses her chance, but is miraculously saved.  Not only saved, but taken in as a ward of the Winterborne House, along with Vilet and Tim, who have just joined the group too, and Colin and Sadie who are already there.  With her penchant for curiosity and exploring, April manages to find a mystery – the missing Winterborne heir, Gabriel, is hiding in the mansion’s lowest levels.  He refuses to cooperate when April insists he reveal himself and eventually all of the children get involved in Gabriel’s life or death story.

Carter manages to stuff an awful lot of mystery and action into April’s story. And she leaves a whole lot of questions still unanswered for future reading – awesome! After reading this, younger readers will be ready to move up to the Gallagher series.

Cindy, Library Teacher, MLS

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