Recommended Age:
11
+
Ideal for readers who enjoy character-driven historical adventures with suspenseful plots and immersive detail.
About the Book
In 1952 London, American girl Janie Scott's family is forced to move when her parents—television writers—are blacklisted, and she befriends the apothecary's son Benjamin, discovering that his father holds alchemical secrets of extraordinary power just as Cold War spies come looking for them. A richly atmospheric adventure blending Cold War history with magic. Beautiful illustrations and a distinctive period voice.
Content Ratings
💡
Mild Themes
Cold War blacklisting and McCarthyism are central to the historical setting. The fear of nuclear war looms over the characters. Themes of political persecution and the cost of truth-telling are handled accessibly.
⚔️
Moderate Violence
Cold War spies, pursuit, kidnapping, and dangerous alchemical consequences create sustained adventure tension.
