I am not really a middle grade reader. However, listening to middle grade audiobooks is a complete different experience and I am loving it so far. The narrator for this audiobook did different voices for different people and I enjoyed most of them. But he made it seem like one of the main characters Sara was a very whiney girl. I am not sure if it was written like this in the books, but the only female character in this book is an annoying whiney girl and I did not care for the narrators interpretation. I would have liked if Sara was written a bit less depended and scared, being the only female character in this story.

The story itself was good. This book being a middlegrade I thought I was going to be able to guess all plot points, but there was one surprise in there I did not quite see coming.

This is the first book in this series and I think I want to give the next one a chance, hopefully Sara's character will be developed better.

Britfield and the Lost Crown is a thrilling adventure with a perfect combination of Orphan Annie, the Boxcar Children and Sherlock Holmes. Tom and Sarah are orphans bent on escaping the frankly illegal conditions of a children's workhosue and have to rely on their wit and loyalty to journey across England, dodging detectives, police, assassins and -gasp- disciplinary committees. Along the way they discover dozens of cultural facts and meet some extraordinary people. While this novel is designed to include a great deal of educational material, it never feels forced, allowing readers to enjoy the scenery and history while pursuing the thrilling plot. There aren't any particular efforts made to make this story a lesson in morals or inclusivity, which is frankly refreshing after all the poorly-done renditions of these themes that have been released lately.
This is precisely the sort of book that is meant to be read purely for the joy of reading. I enjoyed it with a pot of tea and an overstuffed chair on a rainy day, and I'm happy to share that atmosphere with my students.
The narrator, Ian Russel, does a lovely job distinguishing various characters. Although his tone is occasionally dramatic to the point of being choppy, in general he does an excellent job using his voice to increase suspense and add emotional touches whenever possible.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced readers copy.

this book was a lot of fun to listen to. I enjoyed the narrator's way of defining who was talking with the different voices and accents.
The story was very enjoyable, exciting adventure and a chase, with great characters met along the way.
Tom and Sarah are very likeable orphan children on the run from the horrid orphanage where they are used like slave labour.
The story ends leaving me wanting more of their adventures, and I hope to see the next book out soon.

Tom and Sarah live in an awful orphanage. The highlight is when a child sneaks out past the nasty dog to get a book for them to all share.
They MUST escape.
There is such adventure and surprise around every corner in this book. I highly recommend it to children and adults alike.

Delightful adventure that manages to have suspense and intrigue without overly romanticizing children or resorting to blood and gore, though there is a genuine sense of peril.

As an adult reader you can guess where things are going pretty quick but you get readers may not guess at all the interconnections and be excited by the twists.

Will happily read the continuing adventures of our heros in book two - I definitely want to see how things turns out.

What an enjoyable audiobook!

The characters in this book were reminiscent of Dickens: Sludge, Mr. & Mrs. Grievous, Powerstone, etc. Probably the opening setting of an orphanage where students are given numbers instead of names was another reason why I got a Dickens vibe from this book.

This book reads like a travelogue where we get to discover Oxford, Windsor Palace, and London. I liked the device of a hot-air balloon as the mode of transport for Tom and Sarah.

I enjoyed the narrator, I think his accent was perfect and added to my enjoyment of the book. He narrated the dramatic action scenes at the end of the book in a way that put me in the scene-- I was living it along with the characters.

The message of this book, that there is power in numbers and to stand up for what you believe, is such a powerful message for all readers.

It sounds like there will be a sequel to this book and I can’t wait for it!

*received audiobook for free from netgalley for honest review*Really cute book, wish there was a little? more? but i know its a longer series so i get why its like that and this is a middle grade so again makes sense :)

This book was fantastic! I can't wait to have it on my shelf at school and read it to my students.
Tom is an orphan and is extremely unhappy at the orphanage. He and his Sarah plan an escape and then go on an adventure of a lifetime.

This is a fun middle school book. A modern day Oliver Twist with sympathetic children who work together to make the best of being an orphan in a world of greed. Friendship and kindness are the themes in this humorous adventure filled book that sets you up for the next Britfield story.

More middle grade! I am diving headfirst into this genre/grade level reading, because I have so much to catch up on.

Things to know before you start: This is the first in a seven part series, which is awesome, because if you enjoy it, there will be more. It’s less great, though, because now we all have to wait for more. So impatient, haha!

In the first installment of this series, our hero Tom, and his best friend, Sarah escape in a hot air balloon from the Weatherly Orphanage, a horrible place where kids live and work tirelessly for their keepers. After Tom learns that his parents may still be alive, he can abide the orphanage no longer. He and Sarah set off on an epic journey across England, from Yorkshire to the heart of London and, finally, to the magnificent shores of Dover as they try to find out the truth.

This book was so much fun. I often lose the thread of things with a male narrator, but Ian Russell did an excellent job and I stuck with these characters and their journey to the end without losing the plot or interest. I do want to keep going with this series, but I admit, I’m bad at series. TV series. Movie Series. Book series. It’s all too much for me to keep up with. BUT, I will make an effort to keep up with the release dates of subsequent books for this one.

This one is out now, so you can dive right in. I’d savor it, though, as you’ll have to wait for more.

Such a fun book! I love the adventure C.R. Stewart sends you on in this novel. Tom and Sarah make their way around England in a hot air balloon after finally escaping the orphanage where they and several other children are treated poorly. Chores, work, and not a lot of food for any of the orphans. Tom's great escape is to find out who he is and also to help the other children by telling the authorities how they are treated. He is their only hope! Before the escape a friend of his sneaks into the office at Weatherly Orphanage and finds the name Britfield in Tom's file. What does the name Britfield mean and what is the connection to it and Tom? On his journey, Tom finds out that the Britfield family were royalty who lost their son about a decade ago. His only memory when he was young was of the time when he was taken away from his family. Is it just a coincidence? Or, is Tom the last Britfield and heir to the throne? He and Sarah are two clever kids who manage to run into the right people that care enough to help them on their voyage; escaping the police and the detective hired to sent him back to Weatherly. I loved the ending, I hope there is a book 2 on the way soon so we can all find out what happens next. As I said earlier, this story was so much fun. I got it free from NetGalley on audiobook and listened at every opportunity I had. Thank you, NetGalley for the free audiobook, and C.R. Stewart, please get book 2 out so I can continue the adventure with Tom and Sarah.

Britfield and the Lost Crown was a fun middle-grade mystery. The audio was a fantastic listening experience. Tom and Sarah's adventure in the hot air balloon as they raced to find answers to Tom's past was a delight. I did find myself pleasantly surprised by the ending. I did have to suspend some disbelief, especially in regards to the professor's plot line, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. It has been published in June 2019.

"Britfield & The Lost Crown" by CR Stewart starts off as an awesome adventure... and then sadly gets silly.
The characters are pretty stereotypical, but I didn't mind this very much in the first half or so of the novel, when all these amazing scenes were happening: escaping from an orphanage, fleeing in a hot-air balloon, being chased by the villains...
Then even *more* stereotypical characters are introduced, and the novel becomes a series of too-long history lectures, boring repetitions (how many hot-air balloon chase scenes can you fit in a 400-pages book?) and implausibilities that quickly stop being funny and become just plain annoying to read.
The "big reveal" in the end can be seen coming from about 300 pages earlier and my only curiosity while I was reading this was, "How can the characters NOT have guessed it already?"
I also don't appreciate novels that offer no closure at all, just to make sure you'll buy the sequel. I get it that it's the firts book in a series, but the writer could have made the effort to build an ending with a proper climax and some sort of resolution of conflict, rather than just a hook for Book 2 in the series.

Britfield and the Lost Crown is a highly entertaining middle grade mystery/adventure that begins in Weatherly Orphanage in England. The orphans are ill fed and overworked. When orphan Tom finds out that his parents may still be alive, he escapes with his best friend Sarah. Soon Detective Gowerstone is on the case. He and the police pursue the orphans as they attempt to reach London. With help from a variety of adults they meet along the way, the friends barely manage to stay ahead of their pursuers

Ian Russell Is an excellent narrator in the audiobook. His sound effects, voices, and pacing are spot on. As the first book in a promised series of seven, I can’t wait for book two which I hope contains more diverse characters.

I had a great time listening to this audiobook, the story was entertaining and I was rooting for Tom and Sarah the entire time. Even though it takes place in the present, it felt a bit historical and I liked that there wasn't much technology. The escape from the orphanage was harrowing and had me on the (metaphorical) edge of my seat and the hot air balloon was awesome!

Tom and Sarah have a cute friendship, they rely on each other and would sacrifice themselves if it saved the other. Sarah is smart and Tom is a good planner, so between them they do a lot of amazing things. They're young, but I think they'd make a cute couple when they get a bit older.

I highly recommend the audiobook, the narrator does great accents and really brings the story to life. I hope there's a second book, I need more Tom and Sarah adventures!

I received a copy of this audiobook from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

This book is a Parents Choice Gold Medal Award book.

Kids in an orphanage are being overworked and undernourished; Tom and Sarah decide to escape. There is constant movement and adventures along the way. I loved the little detailed nuances of England/London historical highlights that were easily woven into the book (since Tom couldn't recall being outside of the orphanage). Tom and Sarah stumble upon (and are chased by) an interesting cast of characters. There is action at every turn and elevation (as they escape in a helium balloon).

This is a great book for middle schoolers.

Sincerest thanks to NetGalley for advance read/listen copy of Britfield & the Lost Crown and also to the author C.R. Stewart. Narrator Ian Russell did a great job as well.

I received a free audio copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I didn't know what to expect of this book. I never heard of it or the author before. I absolutely loved it! It was a cute and fun listen! At the end of the book, there was a mention of a sequel, which I'm very excited for! I can't wait to learn more about the characters!

As I was listening to this book, I could very easily see it being made into a movie! This would be a nice movie for families to enjoy!

I really enjoyed listening to the narrator and would happily listen to books narrated by this person again.

Verdict: A thrilling adventure across England of all places!

Our story begins in Weatherly Orphanage, Yorkshire, a dingy place with strict rule and cruel staff. It quickly turns into an adventure to Oxford, London, Southampton - all across England in a hot air balloon as orphan Tom tries to discover the dangerous truth behind his real name.

The story doesn't waste time getting started, with Tom and his friend Sarah getting into all sort of trouble, discovering secrets and initiating plans within the first couple of chapters. It has a old classic feel without that old classic pace, and I think I would have enjoyed this story a lot as a child.

It often reminded me of books read aloud by teachers on a Friday afternoon, so I wasn't surprised to find that's exactly what it is. It's has a good paced too, sneaking in snippets of history, literature, and architecture in a ways that's engaging. It's full of famous landmarks and classic descriptions from across the country, which makes it the perfect story to recommend to teachers.

I need to critique a couple of small things. The use of awkward phrases like 'whispered loudly' probably should have been edited out. I could also tell it was written by an American from the use of 'sophomore', 'soda', 'pants', and the descriptions of culture e.g. the whimsy of tea drinking! How quaint, indeed. It's a strange editorial choice for a book set in Britain with British characters who essentially talk and think like Americans, and it took me out of the story. Perhaps what gave it away the most was beautiful and striking descriptions of each location. It's tempting to say a Brit would never describe England with the same passion, given our humour.

Joking aside, I think the book starts strong but has a predictable resolution, so by the end I was waiting for it to round off, which is why I've knocked a star off.

All in all, this is a great novel that I would recommend for children. It offers a fun adventure and the opportunity to fall in love with Britain. Who wouldn't want that?

Source: With thanks to the publisher via Netgalley. I received the audio version of this one, and I can say the reading was excellent!

Britfield and the Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart was a fun middle grade mystery and adventure novel.

Tom and Sara are orphans who go to find out more about Tom’s past. They escape the orphanage and are chased all over England by law enforcement. I thought the friendship in this story was super strong. I had a hard time focusing at the beginning. I just could not get into it. I flew through the second half of the story. I found it much more exciting and entertaining, as the book went.

The narration by Ian Russell was the strongest part of this story and kept me listening even when I was not quite into the story. His voices were all super distinct and well planned out. He did several accents as well. He conveyed emotions well too. I would easily listen to something by him again.

If I had to recommend reading or listening to this story, I would definitely suggest the audio. While it was not a favourite of mine I can understand why so many kids like it.

I received an advanced audiobook copy from Independent Book Publishers Association through NetGalley. All opinions are 100% my own.

Title Britfield and the Lost Crown
Author C.R. Stewart
Narrator Ian Russell
5 star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Audiobook 🎧

This needs making into a film!

The story begins in an orphanage and although set in a beautiful castle type building the place inside is horrible for the children.

Tom finds out his parents are still alive and, along with Sarah, they plan their escape to find them!

Love the adventures around England as the children escape from one place to the next

Excellent narration, really brought the story to life!