This was a fun, clever, adventurous and nostalgic story that reminds me of the books and tv shows of my childhood. I think middle grade as a genre can work for both children and adults and as someone who works with education for adults they are books that are great to recommend for someone who is working on their english or other languages than their first. I really enjoyed this one and would recommend it to both students and families with kids.

Unfortunately though, it didn't quite reach my expectations. I believe that really good middle grade combines the fun and adventurous with deeper topics and messages in a way that both kids and adults can understand, and that's what was missing here. Yes, it's a lovely story about a girl finding friends and a home that helps her explore, find herself and some confidence. But it didn't resonate as much as I would have liked to, and it felt a bit too surface level for a really good grade.

This was a fun read. The Midwatch Institute is surely the dream of many children, and I appreciated how Maggie was a reasonable protagonist who is dedicated, loyal, and a quick thinker, but not perfect and needs her friends to solve all the problems.

I really wanted to like this book more. It seemed like it would be a fun, feminist, slightly rebellious book about young girls learning they could be more than what they had previously assumed. And it is, sort of, but the pacing is slow and the tendency for characters be shallow and repetitive makes the narrative a big boring and even antiquated. It reads like a kids book from the 1960s or 70s, not something written in the 2020s

The Midwatch Institute is packed with secrets, adventure, and clever girls who are way too good at getting into (and out of) trouble. Maggie is scrappy, determined, and impossible not to root for. The writing is sharp, the illustrations are delightful, and the little “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know” pages are absolute gold. If you love mysteries, mischief, and books that make you want to grab a flashlight and start solving crimes, this is for you.

Loved this sweet middle-grade fiction book! Strong female characters, elements of danger, very sweet. Sometimes it felt like the line drawings didn't quite match up with the story.

4.5 stars. This is such a fun, whimsical adventure! I've read plenty of children's books featuring the magical boarding school trope, and this is one of the most successful, charming and original. Of course, the orphanage featured here isn't technically a magical school -- rather, the orphans take classes like Hiding, Observation and Contriving in order to become as resourceful as possible in their mission to fight bad guys. They get hands-on experience too, through mysterious cases brought for them to solve.

The setting of the story really stood out to me: 1920s big city with a touch of steampunk. The gorgeous illustrations throughout really add to the atmosphere and make the setting incredibly vivid. The plot moves fast, especially in the second half of the story, and there is plenty of action. Something I especially appreciated is that so many elements set up in the first half pay off really nicely in the second half, which was very satisfying.

My only minor complaint is that the plot was so big that it rather got in the way of character development. So many of the characters introduced here look intriguing, but none of them are fully developed. Maggie, the protagonist, is mostly a reader insert. I'm really hoping this first book will turn into a series, because the Midwatch has the potential for many more great stories, and then hopefully we'll get to know the characters a little better.

This is a wonderful story for its age range, though for young and sensitive readers it might be a bit scary and intense at the end. Definitely recommend!

“The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls” by Judith Rossell
A Mystery and an Adventure
I loved my time within this story. It was certainly a non-stop fun adventure read. I wonder if I will get to read it again with my great-grand-kids!! That would surely be a treat, for me. But whether that happens or not; I had a really good time sharing this adventure with the 1st year girls. Maybe I will get to join them on another adventure while solving another mystery. Happy Reading ! !

Thank you toNetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy of The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. When three girls are sent to the Midwatch School for their “wayward” behavior the find out it’s not the horrible place they expected, but secretly a school where girls learn useful skills to help them solve crime and keep the city safe. The illustrations are delightful and the helpful topics throughout the book are hilarious. A perfect read for any girl, wayward or not.

3.5 stars to Judith Rossell's The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls.

Maggie Fishbone is a troubled orphan. With a penchant for mischief and a tendency to push bullies into rivers, she is, by every definition, a "Wayward Girl." Following the most recent event of her rebellion, Maggie is escorted to The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls, a school known for reshaping rebellious spirits into proper young women.

But the institute, with its strict teachers and drab, gray uniforms, is not what it appears. Maggie soon discovers that the miserable students and harsh conditions are nothing but a ruse to throw off the outside world to the Midwatch's true mission, a home and training field to young girls with special abilities. It is not long before Maggie and her fellow first years receive a new mission: rescue a missing botanist and discover the secret of a jeweled dragonfly.

I had fun with this book, and recommend it to anyone interested.

Maggie has been thrown out of her orphanage because she stood up to a bully. She finds herself at the doorstep of The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. She thought her last orphanage was bad- this one was even worse!!! But first impressions are deceiving. Soon she makes steadfast friends with Nell and Sofie, other first year students. She falls in love with the staff and the other girls at the Institute and before she knows it she’s thrust into their secret world. She is now part of an underground team of girl detectives and her first case is a doozy!

Jack (10.5) and I loved this story. The characters are strong and the story is funny and exciting.

Jack- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Mom- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I know so many kiddos that will truly love this bad ass band of girls. We are both hoping for a sequel!?!? 🤞🏻 @juderossell

Thank you to @netgalley and @penguinbooks for this #advancedreaderscopy - pub date is 5/27/25

#2025bookchallengebook20of100
#themidwatchinstituteforwaywardgirls
#elementarygradebooks
#netgalley

What a wonderfully whimsical adventure!
The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls starts like many novels of this genre. With an orphan who doesn't fit in. From there it takes a path that leads to a secret school for orphan girls where they learn all kinds of useful things, and use those skills to solve crime.
The adventure in this book was so fun, and all served with a whimsical tone that reminded me of Diana Wynne Jones.
This book is great for kids who love an adventure full of mystery that gives them just enough clues to try and puzzle the answers out themselves. The story moves at a quick pace to keep even the pickiest readers interested, and there are characters for everyone to relate to.
The illustrations throughout are an amazing touch to the story. They're spread out in a lovely way that helps the pacing of the book, and provides atmosphere for readers.
Overall, this is a solid and very enjoyable middle grade read! I'd be interested to read a series set at The Midwatch.

Thank you to Penguin, Dial Books, and Netgalley for the ARC.

I absolutely ADORED this story as a 35 yr old woman! It was so quirky and fun and action packed and had the loveliest cast of characters. The school! The setting! Fantastic. Such a cute middle grade read.

What worked:
Maggie is anonymously left at an orphanage but the nuns send her to the Midwatch Institute due to her bad behavior. The cannery owner’s son was bullying some young kids so she pushed him off the wharf and into the bay. This shows how she’s willing to protect the weak from the strong. Midwatch has a reputation for taking in the worst kids but Maggie is shocked when she’s settled within its walls. Girls are taught useful skills for solving crimes and keeping the city safe although Maggie doesn’t understand exactly what that means. One surprise for readers might be that the institute has no bullies. Maggie and two other recruits are immediately accepted by other girls so they easily transition to the new setting. There is some banter between first-year and second-year girls but nothing malicious or mean.
Many chapters end with mini-lessons for some of those useful skills mentioned above. These pages add levity to the story even though some seem a bit strange. One of the lessons describes how to escape an alligator attack and another covers how to dance the Charleston. It’s easier to see how learning to communicate with Morse Code and training animals might be useful in helping others. Maggie is surprised by her class schedule but readers will recognize the usefulness of the lessons. They include learning to speak German, read maps, and hide. Maneuvering around the institute tests her agility as it’s often like completing an obstacle course.
The plot’s conflict emerges as it nears the midpoint and it will make readers wonder. People have been disappearing around the city but no one is sure what’s causing it. There’s nothing supernatural about life at the institute so readers will suspect a person or gang must be responsible. However, news reports describe a large beast due to growls heard and scratch marks found at the locations. Eventually, a librarian reports a missing woman and the police direct him to the institute. Everyone is stumped by a note left by the woman until Nell, another new arrival and Maggie’s friend, realizes there’s a cry for help hidden within the words. This leads to Maggie and the other first-years becoming part of the search but things don’t work out as smoothly as they hope. The plot builds to an exciting climax above the city!
What didn’t work as well:
I’m not female but the premise of the story might bother some readers. The girls can move freely around town because no one expects anything from females, especially young ones. The man inspecting Midwatch thinks sewing is the best way to improve a young girl’s character so that’s what the teachers and girls show him when he visits. Nevertheless, the young, female characters at Midwatch prove to be brave, resourceful detectives.
The final verdict:
The book has similarities to another one called The School for Wicked Witches. The most interesting part of the story is Midwatch’s façade of a strict institute for wayward girls while it secretly trains them to keep the city safe. The absence of petty squabbles, jealousy, and malicious bullying is refreshing and the immediate comradery between characters is very enjoyable. Overall, this book will make readers feel positive and entertained and I recommend you give it a shot!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving this arc!

Despite Rossell's books being popular in Australia while I was a kid I never picked up her popular Withering by the Sea series as my elder sister had beat me to it, so imagine my joy when I come across this author once again. This book did not disappoint, the writing was transportive, the characters loveable and the plot enthralling. Every other page was filled with illustrations done by the author (!) which were beautiful and immersive. The aesthetic is one I've never been able to get over, with a slightly Victorian feel which greatly complimented the narrative. The basic premise for the book is Maggie is sent to an orphanage for girls which presents itself a terrible place to live, only teaching things like sewing and cleaning. However that is but a facade and the ladies who run it train the girls in plenty of useful endeavours; rope tying, hiding, surviving hypnosis etc in an effort to fight crime in London. Overall the novel was charming and I hope to Inshallah add this to my primary school classroom one day.

I love stories like this! I think kids 2nd to 5th grade are going to enjoy it very much! It's well written with great characters, a fun plot- Girls who don't conform or fit in their communities are sent to Midwatch Institute, it's believed, to be punished for being different. Actua;ly, the school celebrates the differences of the girls and uses them to solve musteries! So entertaining! Reminds me of Ms. Rapscott's Girls by Elise Primavera and Miss Ellicott's School for the Magiclly Minded by Sage Blackwood in the most wonderful way.
Kudos, Judith Rossell! I hope you are writing sequel! It should be a series@ Movie?

Was there ever a more charming, silly, and inspiring read than The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls? I think not. I could not stop smiling and will be so delighted to read it to my children. Midwatch is a school for wayward girls, but Ms. Mandelay knows there’s more to a “wayward girl” that meets the eye. To the public, Midwatch is dreary place of absolute drudgery, but once inside, it’s a delightful crime fighting utopia where all girls are encouraged to pursue their passions and use it to fight crime within their city!

Maggie isn’t sure what to think about this new school, but when a night monster starts wrecking havoc in the city, and a woman goes missing without a trace, it’s up to the girls at Midwatch to save all.

This book was precious and utterly nonsensical and every time the stakes were raised, I couldn’t help but smile at the innovative solutions the Midwatch girls came up with when faced with impossible odds. It also serves as an affirming reframe to any child who feels they are an outsider.

I would like to thank Penguin Group and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My kids and I found "The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls"" by Judith Rossell to be a suspenseful , Sherlock Holmes middle grade story. Wayward Institute is more than a home for girls, it's a secret society of young girls who solve crimes. My kids loved how the girls would find clues and narrowly escape bad guys through their secret tunnels under the city. The artwork helps the reader really get into the story, we spent at least 20 minutes on each picture while we discussed what was happening in the story. We hope the author will continue this series. @PenguinKidsBooks

This book was adorable. Kind of reminded me of series of unfortunate events and Madeline. Has a good strong message that anyone can do better and help others.

Thank you, NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group | Dial Books for this ARC for review. Well, that was adorable. Readers who enjoyed A Series of Unfortunate Events will definitely enjoy this book. Maggie Fishbone is being sent to Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways, and Wayward Girls after causing problems at the last orphanage and being kicked out. She doesn’t think she’ll be impressed be this one either, but the institute is something entirely different. The girls here are smart, and are being trained to fight bad guys and help the city. Maggie starts to make friends and settle in at the institute. This book was super cute with a great message- friendship, female strength, doing good for the sake of others.