With a slight resemblance to the Lemony Snicket books, this one was a delight. Orphaned Maggie, who was a troublemaker at her old orphanage, expects things to be even more dire at Midwatch. And that’s just what its headmistress wants her former guardians to think.

Midwatch is actually wonderful. The food is good and plentiful. And the lessons. Let’s just say they’re unlike anything Maggie might have imagined.

You see, the girls of Midwatch are training to be crime fighters. And they’re pretty good at it too. After all, who pays any attention to little girls with dolls?

The characters are vibrant. The eccentric headmistress is just enough without being ridiculous. The plot proceeds without getting bogged down in trivia or over-description.

My biggest quibble is really just that the translations of the ridiculous German phrases Maggie learns are all at the back of the book, at least in the ARC I read.

This is the kind of book that might capture a reluctant reader. Bring on the next one!

Possible Objectionable Material:
Perilous situations. Little girls fighting crime. Mean orphanage matrons. Loss of parents (not described.)

Who Would Like This Book:
Even though this school is all girls, the adventures and problem solving would appeal to anyone. If you enjoyed Lemony Snicket, this should satisfy. I think this could really grab some reluctant readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2025/05/may-27-2025-releases.html

*The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls* is anything but your typical school for troubled girls. When orphan **Maggie Fishbone** arrives, she expects rules, punishments, and dull lessons. Instead, she finds herself in a secret training ground for young detectives, spies, and protectors of the city. With a mix of mystery, adventure, and humor, the story follows Maggie as she settles into her new life, makes friends, and gets her first real mission—finding a missing woman. But as she digs deeper, she discovers that the city holds dangerous secrets, and she might be in over her head.

The book is packed with **black-and-white illustrations** and fun inserts, like codes, disguise techniques, and survival tips. It’s a thrilling read with an old-timey, early-1900s feel, perfect for fans of *A Series of Unfortunate Events* or historical adventures with a twist. However it felt more for the younger half of middle grade but all kids will enjoy it. I give this 4.5 stars out of 5.

This book is such a joy! It is exactly the writing style I love (which I don’t know how to describe until I read it, but I loved it in a way that I loved another recent release, The Chronicles of Whetherwhy). I love the characters with all their unique personalities and the ways they encourage and look after each other. I love that a group of ‘wayward’ girls is taught to and then successfully does amazing things, when before they were told they held little to no value in society. The adventure is fantastic and the ending wonderful! This is definitely a book I will be adding to my own shelf.

I really enjoyed this book! There were twists and turns in it, and it was fun to read. I am hoping that a sequel comes out soon!

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls was a quick, fun read about Maggie, a young orphan, who goes to what she believes to be a strict boarding school. Maggie is surprised to discover that the school is actually a secret society that teaches young girls useful information and then allows them to help fight crime and solve mysteries. The characters in the book were charming, but I would have liked to get to know each of them a little better. The main themes are friendship, belonging, and courage. The illustrations were delightful and will benefit young readers. Although I enjoyed the book, I will skip buying this one. I think it is too juvenile for my middle grade students and would be more appropriate for 3-5 grades. I would probably rate this 3.5 stars.

Certainly! Here's a polished, positive review you can use:

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A Delightful Read for Young Adventurers!

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell was a wonderful surprise in our household. My 8-year-old daughter picked it up on her own and was immediately captivated. Not only was she able to read it independently, but she was also so excited by the story that she couldn’t stop telling me about the characters and what happened next—often with wide eyes and animated enthusiasm!

It’s not always easy to find books that both challenge and engage younger readers, but this one struck the perfect balance. The writing is accessible yet rich, and the story is filled with just the right mix of mystery, adventure, and heart. My daughter had such a positive impression of the book that she’s already asking if there’s more to come.

As a parent, it’s a joy to see your child light up over a book. I’d definitely recommend The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls to other families with young readers—it’s a gem that inspires imagination and confidence.

This reminds me of several other favorites like The Mysterious Benedict Society. These smart girls live in a pseudo early 1900s germanic world with airships and bad guys and occasionally monsters but handle all of it brilliantly. The girls don't have arguments with each other – they're too busy solving crimes and making the world a better place.

The book is complimented by little illustrations every few pages and some helpful guides on things girls should know how to do like walking quietly, Morse code, escaping an alligator, and getting out of quicksand.

The plot is fun and exciting, always full of whimsy and entertainment. These girls are used to being told they aren't expected to do much but clean and sew, but they and their teachers don't let that stop them. While there are grown-ups that give them guidance and help keep them safe, it's the girls who are the heroes of the story.

It can be a little tricky to tell the girls apart because there are so many of them. The three that come in at the same time have distinct personalities and backgrounds, but even they blend together when things get going. Even our main character, Maggie, starts out with an interesting background, but we rarely get her perspectives on things and she seems like just another of the girls after a while. While I love that there are a lot of girls and it's fun to imagine all these girls out doing their different jobs, I wish I'd been able to get to see them more as individuals instead of “girl name here” whenever there was action. It made it hard to make the book take on a found family feeling when I couldn't tell them apart.

I hope that this book turns into a series because I would love to see more characterization of the girls and more exciting adventures.

First and foremost, thank you to the publisher and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story and it was definitely worth the read!

For all her life, Maggie Fishbone has been told she is no good to anyone. Growing up in an orphanage is difficult at the best of times, and because Maggie does not conform to the strict nuns’ expectations of her, Maggie is transferred to the dreaded Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. Instead of finding herself in yet another unwelcoming environment, however, Maggie meets several other girls who, like her, did not fit in wherever they came from. And together, they are encouraged to learn as much as they can about everything in order to become the protectors the city desperately needs. This entertaining middle grade novel is well suited to children who are gaining confidence reading chapter books on their own. Each chapter is not long, and illustrations appear at frequent intervals to help with both comprehension and visual engagement. While the text itself is brief, however, the story is complex and entertaining, embracing the goal of becoming learned in a wide range of topics. As the girls are gaining skills in class, excerpts from the fictional title Useful Things Every Girl Should Know appear within the narrative, as well. These asides enhance the reader’s own learning alongside the protagonists in the story. Tense moments of peril and danger appear as the novel unfolds, making the book best suited to those who appreciate a subtle adrenaline rush. Entertaining, fast-paced, and perilous on occasion, this compelling early chapter book is an excellent fit for bright, inquisitive young readers, and it is primed for a sequel.

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls offers a promising setup with a fun, secretive boarding school vibe and a determined heroine in Maggie Fishbone. The idea of an institute where girls train to become mystery-solvers and protectors of the city is engaging, and Maggie’s journey from outsider to budding investigator has heart.

There are charming moments of friendship, exploration, and girl-powered teamwork, and the mystery itself brings a touch of danger and discovery. However, the pacing feels uneven at times, and the stakes never quite land with the intensity they seem to promise. Some of the worldbuilding feels surface-level, and the twists are more predictable than surprising.

Still, readers looking for a light, adventurous read with a spirited cast may find Maggie’s first case enjoyable—especially younger middle-grade readers or fans of secret-society stories with a softer edge.

This was a fun, magical story that delivers exactly what you'd expect--fantasy, fun, friendship, and lessons learned along the way.

A fun tale of resourceful girls working together. This middle grade novel reads like steampunk lite and has enough illustrations to help engage reluctant or less adept readers. Not a lot of character development but a lot of action!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you so much for this arc!

This story is absolutely delightful. It’s fun and whimsical while also being empowering for young girls. All of the characters were so endearing and I loved that each girl had their own set of skills and were celebrated for them.

I wish I had this book to read when I was younger! I would have loved it and wanted it to be a series. The snippets of instructional lessons was so cute.

I loved this fun adventure! The characters were great and the story was fun. It seems like it would make a great series. I also loved the illustrations that really added well to the story.

Every now and then I read Middle Grade novels because they are just a joy and can be such a great escape. This one was enjoyable, and I can definitely see children really loving it. It's about Maggie, who gets kicked out of her orphanage to go to The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. She's expecting this to be a bad place, but is surprised to find out that there is a secret club for amateur detective girls where they learn all kinds of skills to help them solve cases. She becomes friends with some of the girls and loves the staff. They become more of her found family and finally feels her sense of belonging. The characters are so cute and I think kids are going to love the adventures in this book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

As a 5th grade teacher always on the lookout for stories that spark curiosity and empower students, The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls was exactly that! This book is a charming adventure where girls who are labeled “wayward” are sent to a secret training ground for budding girl detectives. Maggie will instantly steal your heart - she is determined and scrappy! I loved rooting for her and know my students will too. This is the perfect story for students who love mystery, action, and rebellion mixed with humor and a lot of heart. I am a sucker for found family stories and watching Maggie find her strength in her community was so heartwarming. I can already see this book flying off the shelves in my classroom! My 5th graders are going to LOVE this one!

This is a fun and adventurous middle grade novel that I really enjoyed reading. The writing reminded me of the books I grew up reading, which I appreciated, and think will be accessible to most readers. The illustrations throughout were beautiful too.

I had completely forgotten how delightful middle-grade books can be, and The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls brought it all rushing back. This one is packed with heart, adventure, and just the right amount of mischief.

Miss Adelia Mandalay runs the kind of "orphanage" I would've begged to attend as a kid—less Victorian punishment, more secret-society-for-girl-detectives energy. Yes, it's got the reputation of being a place for "problem girls," but really it's a haven where they're taught fencing, hiding, map reading, and motorcar driving (YES PLEASE), all while solving local mysteries and learning how capable they are.

Maggie’s journey to finding a place where she belongs hit all the right emotional notes for me—found family will always be my kryptonite. And I can’t NOT mention the interspersed entries from Miss Mandelay's Useful Things Every Girl Should Know, which range from “How to Escape an Alligator” to “How to Send Messages in Morse Code.” I’d honestly hand this book to any middle-grade reader just for those.

Bonus points for charming black and white illustrations throughout—just the cozy little cherry on top.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC—it was given freely, but my delight (and desire to escape into a girls-only detective academy) is entirely my own.

What fun! Girls who don't fit in at orphanages are sent to the Midwatch Institute which has a pretense of being a horrible place for girls, but secretly is a school for girls to learn useful things like hiding, picking locks, and observing. This is a great adventure with a Monster and a mystery.

Give to girls who like the Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor.