The Porch Sisters – Gertrude (nearly 13), Eugenia (just over 12), and Dee Dee (possibly 11), are a little different to the rest of their family and residents of their town. Their family now consists of an aunt and uncle and seven cousins all named Lavinia who only just tolerate them in their household.

The sisters are in no way like their cousins who excel at all things polite and with perfect etiquette. Gertrude, Eugenia and Dee Dee would much rather be researching strange creatures, looking for exploding rocks or thinking about the workings of the universe. They do try to hide their interests, especially at their etiquette school under the nose of their teacher Mrs Wintermacher, who despairs at the sister’s strange behaviours.

One day when Gertrude decides to use her smarts and interests to help in the study of ‘sitting with a straight back’, things go terribly wrong. And just maybe… a little bit right.

Soon, the Porch sisters (who have been threatened to be sent off to boarding school far away), meet Millicent Quibb. Millicent is starting her own school, but with only three pupils in mind.

Gertrude, Eugenia and Dee Dee are frightened to meet the woman the entire town deems to be a completely unhinged and dangerous crack-pot. The rumours are well spread and fierce and they’re not sure they’ll survive the day. Millicent Quibb might be strange and blunt and unaware how to talk to children, but she is clever, perfectly aware of the sister’s odd interests, and keen to help develop them.

The sisters begin to feel like they’ve finally found where they are accepted and praised for their quirkyness and scientific efforts. Millicent Quibb is not just a Mad Science teacher and mentor. She is also aware of something very curious and positively dangerous happening within their town, and she needs the Porch sisters to help stop it!

The narrator, G Edwina Candlestank speaks directly to the reader, including footnotes, labelled diagrams and illustrations. These extras provide the full information required to properly tell the story, and are not only helpful but really funny too. This narrator will sometimes lose her way in the telling and ask the reader questions, and then answer them herself. Not only are we getting to know the characters, but the narrator too.

To adequately describe The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science, I would call it a pinch of Addams Family, a teaspoon of Frankenstein, and a packed cup of A Serious of Unfortunate Events.

The many illustrations by Alfredo Ca´ceres are hilarious and their captions and labelling giving a scientific feel to them.

This blend of bonkers provides readers with a funny, clever, exciting read with a firm nod to more in the series. 

Author – Kate McKinnon

Illustrator – Alfredo Ca´ceres

Age – 10+

(2024, Harper Collins, Humour, Science, Family, Fantasy, Adventure, Animals, Courage, Mystery, Secret, Funny, Footnotes, Crazy experiments, School, Zany Professor, Cousins, Bichon Frise, Monsters, Saving the day, Etiquette, Manners, Bonkers,