The Accidental Stowaway

In 1910, twelve-year-old Patch inadvertently finds herself aboard the RMS Glorious as it departs for New York. As an orphan who has never had a stable home, Patch is expert at being invisible, a skill she uses to avoid the Chief Steward. Along the way, she befriends a diverse cast from different social classes and uncovers a criminal plot involving the ship's elite passengers. SENSITIVE TOPICS: The book deals with the loneliness of the foster/kinship care experience in a secular, direct way. While Patch's situation is difficult, the resolution is hopeful and focuses on her agency. EMOTIONAL ARC: The story begins with a heavy sense of isolation and rootlessness. As the voyage progresses, the tone shifts toward empowerment and connection, ending on a high note of found family and future possibility. IDEAL READER: A ten-year-old who feels like an outsider or an 'old soul' who enjoys historical details and stories about kids outsmarting adults. PARENT TRIGGER: A parent might notice their child retreating or expressing that they feel like a burden to others. PARENT PREP: The book is safe for cold reading, but parents might want to discuss the class disparity of the 1910s to provide context for Patch's interactions with staff versus wealthy passengers. AGE EXPERIENCE: Younger readers (8-9) will focus on the thrill of hiding and the 'madcap' escape elements. Older readers (11-12) will better appreciate the nuances of Patch's search for identity and the historical social commentary. DIFFERENTIATOR: Unlike many historical mysteries that focus on the 'upstairs' elite, this book gives a vivid, gritty, yet magical look at the 'downstairs' world of a steamship through the eyes of a child who belongs nowhere and everywhere.