Meeting Musings: The Case of the Missing Marquess

Another book has come and gone.  We had our meeting on Wednesday and I was excited about how many new faces we had.

I think the craft we did went over really well.  In the book, Enola's mom gives her a book of cyphers for her birthday which becomes pretty important to the story.  I thought it would be fun if we make our own little notebooks.


Here are a couple of examples of the notebooks we made.  They are 5.5 x 4.25, or a quarter of a regular sheet of paper.  If you want instructions on how to make them, just email me.


As we made the notebooks, we talked about the book.  Some of the club members were a little worried they wouldn't like it, but were pleasantly surprised.  Everyone seemed to like it and were anxious to read the other books in the series.  It was fun to talk about how different life was in the Victorian era than it is today.  Women didn't have as many rights.  Enola herself, was a fun character.  She has the same smarts as her brother Sherlock, but has the advantage of knowing the way women lived. 

The next book for the book club has been one of my favorite books since I first read it many years ago.  It's a retelling of Beauty and the Beast called Beauty by Robin McKinley.  It is a longer one, so you might want to get started on it as soon as possible.  Check your school libraries if you can't find it here, or you might even want to consider buying it.  Yes, it's that good. 

The meeting is on Wednesday, April 25 at 7:00 pm.  I hope to see you there!!

Book Blurb: The Missing Marquess

When Enola Holmes, the much younger sister of detective Sherlock Holmes, discovers her mother has disappeared—on her 14th birthday nonetheless—she knows she alone can find her. Disguising herself as a grieving widow, Enola sets out to the heart of London to uncover her mother’s whereabouts—but not even the last name Holmes can prepare her for what awaits. Suddenly involved in the kidnapping of the young Marquess of Basilwether, Enola must escape murderous villains, free the spoiled Marquess, and perhaps hardest of all, elude her shrewd older brother—all while collecting clues to her mother’s disappearance!
    Taken from amazon.com



About the Author

Nancy Springer has published forty novels for adults, young adults and children. In a career beginning shortly after she graduated from Gettysburg College in 1970, Springer wrote for ten years in the imaginary realms of mythological fantasy, then ventured on contemporary fantasy, magical realism, and women's fiction before turning her attention to children's literature. Her novels and stories for middle-grade and young adults range from contemporary realism, mystery/crime, and fantasy to her critically acclaimed novels based on the Arthurian mythos, I AM MORDRED: A TALE OF CAMELOT and I AM MORGAN LE FAY. Springer's children's books have won her two Edgar Allan Poe awards, a Carolyn W. Field award, various Children's Choice honors and numerous ALA Best Book listings. Her most recent series include the Tales of Rowan Hood, featuring Robin Hood’s daughter, and the Enola Holmes mysteries, starring the much younger sister of Sherlock Holmes. Ms. Springer lives in East Berlin, Pennsylvania.

Taken from penguingroup.com