The Alarming Career of Sir Richard Blackstone

Gr 4–6—The dark, dangerous streets of medieval London are home, of a sort, to 12-year-old Henry. His days are spent foraging for food, running away from cruel parents trying to sell him into servitude, and seeking his own gainful employment. As the story begins, Henry jumps onto the back of a coach leaving the city. He's off to answer an ad for a scientist advertising for an apprentice. As luck would have it, Henry finds the correct address and is employed. The cook is a wonderful, generous woman, while the butler is grouchy and suspects Henry of no good. His employer, Sir Richard Blackstone, is well-meaning but a truly unfortunate scientist. His experiments bring excitement, as well as humor, to the narrative. Henry is a smart young man who is able to use his intuition to solve problems. Most important, he pieces together clues necessary to ultimately contrive an antidote for the poisonous spider Sir Richard accidentally enlarged. In so doing, Henry saves the duchess and, perhaps, the whole village. A dishonest, evil man tries to steal the duchess's fortune by tricking her into marriage, but Henry becomes suspicious of him and follows the trail of clues all the way to his own happy ending. This well-written, engaging tale revolves around missing loved ones, stolen silver, and magic powder. Strong character development, an original plot, and tight pacing all come together for a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience.