The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls

Gr 3-7–After being kicked out of her orphanage, Magdalena “Maggie” Fishbone finds herself at the doors of The Midwatch Institute. Little does she know, but her arrival in this place, “for orphans, runaways, and wayward girls,” will mark the beginning of some remarkable adventures. Publicly, the institute appears dreary and forbidding, but secretly, it is a haven where the students are empowered and trained to solve mysteries and fight crime. Maggie quickly immerses herself in learning everything from German to safecracking. When a botanist mysteriously disappears and the city is terrorized by what the press calls “The Night Monster,” Maggie and her classmates are assigned to the case. Delightful intercalary chapters feature excerpts from Useful Things Every Girl Should Know (a book written by the school’s director), covering topics such as Morse code and how to escape an alligator, alongside the director’s thrilling personal stories. Maggie’s adventure takes place in a slightly magical early 20th-century world filled with skyscrapers, elegant hotels, and airships. Castillo’s narration offers listeners a variety of entertaining accents that truly bring Rossell’s novel to life.