The Little Tulip Orphanage is one of the worst orphanages in Amsterdam, run by the cruel and miserly Matron Elinora Gassbeek. Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem, and Milou have been there the longest of all the orphans and Gassbeek considers them ‘unadoptable’. Each was abandoned in a peculiar way – Lotta in a tin toolbox, Egg in a coal bucket, Fenna in a picnic hamper, Sem in a wheat sack, and Milou in a coffin-shaped basket – but they know that it’s their uniqueness that makes them special and they are determined to stay together. So when a chance to escape presents itself, they take it, fleeing across the frozen canals of Amsterdam into the countryside, fleeing from a sinister man who would treat them worse than Gassbeek and towards clues to a possible home. But is their real home already a lot closer than they thought?

Shortlisted for the 2018 Bath Children’s Novel Award, Hana Tooke’s debut novel has been praised by Children’s literature heavyweights, such as Robin Stevens, Katherine Rundell, and Emma Carroll, and emerging talents including Cerrie Burnell, and it’s easy to see why. The Unadoptables is a delightful historical adventure and a testament to the power of friendship and family. The story is set in nineteenth century Amsterdam, and Tooke, who is half Dutch, brilliantly evokes both the city itself with its narrow streets and tall, crowded-together townhouses, and also the countryside with its patchwork quilt of fields, canals and windmills. Adding another layer to this is the season; winter adds a feel of wonder and enchantment to the countryside and subtle undercurrent of unease and menace to the city, changing appropriately as the characters move between them and enhancing the atmosphere of any scene be it action or contemplative.

But of course, the real stars of the story are the unadoptables themselves. Consisting of Lotta (“the cleverest girl in of all of Amsterdam”), Egg (“the most talented boy in all of Amsterdam”), Fenna (“the sweetest girl in all of Amsterdam”), Sem (“the kindest boy in all of Amsterdam”), and Milou (“the bravest girl in all of Amsterdam”), all overlooked due to physical imperfections (Lotta is polydactyl for example) or prejudice (Egg is of Asian origin), they are an easy group to root for.

Tenacious and self-sufficient by necessity – first to survive the orphanage and then to stay one step ahead of Rotman (the shady “merchant” who regards them as his property) and the kinderbeauru, who, whilst more benevolent in their motivations, would surely split them apart. They are also fiercely loyal to one another; like a true family they support each other through bad times and good, helping each other to recognise their flaws as well as their virtues.

Though the book focuses mainly on Milou, the others are still rounded enough characters (the story ends in a good place for a stand-alone, but with enough threads that could be picked up if it were to become a series; if that were to be the case, I’d like to see the stories of the other orphans explored), and the villains – Gassbeek and Rotman – are evil and sinister enough to stay just on the right side of caricature.

Also deserving a mention are the illustrations. As can be seen from the front cover, Ayesha L. Rubio’s artwork is gorgeous, and gives everything a fairy-tale feel (with just an undertone of the gothic/Dickensian) which the illustrated chapter headings also add to. Sadly, it’s a little difficult to see them in their full glory in digital format, and so this is one book I cannot wait to get my hands on a physical copy of!

To conclude, The Unadoptables is a warm-hearted and thrilling tale full of clockwork, puppets, and clues – as sensational as any of Milou’s bedtime stories.

It started out a little slow but once it got going, the story hooked me! Five older orphans escape an adoption from an unscrupulous ship captain and use clues to find Milou’s long-lost parents. When they arrive at the location, there are no adults there so the kids make a puppet dad to trick the neighbors. To earn money for their illegal adoption, they plan a big puppet show. Meanwhile, the ship captain is searching for them -- and won't give up easily. An enthralling adventure with heroic, problem-solving kids!