About This Book
Reach for Shoddy Cove when your child is beginning to question the difference between surface appearances and deeper truths, or when they are showing a budding interest in social justice and history. It is an ideal choice for the middle-grade reader who loves a mystery but is also ready to grapple with the complexities of how we treat those who are different or 'other.' Set in a living-history museum, the story follows twelve-year-old Clare as she navigates her summer job while stumbling upon two runaway children. As Clare balances her responsibilities with her desire to protect the runaways, she uncovers a parallel mystery from the nineteenth century involving the real Shoddy Cove. The book beautifully explores themes of empathy, the ethics of 'living' history, and the moral weight of keeping secrets for the right reasons. It is a thoughtful, atmospheric read that encourages children to look beyond the stories they are told to find the human experiences underneath.
