Women’s clothes weren’t really designed to be put on by yourself because no one was ever really on their own. But then there are no servants at all in this household despite it being a relatively prosperous household. A look at Charles Booth’s map of London is illuminating in this regard. I loved the way Lizzie and Belle complemented each other. Lizzie is daring and bold, while Belle can curtsy properly and knows the right words for the right occassion. Both were equally important.

The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger has been shortlisted for the Waterstones 2023 Children’s Book Prize! I was granted access to the audio book of this work by Netgalley free of charge in return for an honest review. Growing up I was a big fan of the american girls serries. It was a look at history through the eyes of young ladies who were close to my own age and thus grew my love of historical fiction. In Lizzie Sancho, I created a historical character with a contemporary voice. She refuses eighteenth-century etiquette: doesn’t wear dresses, won’t curtsey. She’s street-smart. Through Lizzie’s coolly observant narration of Drama and Danger, readers can experience the world of the eighteenth century with a witty slant. The historical setting of 18th-century London is also a highlight of the book. The author has done an excellent job of bringing the period to life, with rich and vivid descriptions of the city, its people, and its culture. The book includes a diverse cast of characters, including real historical figures such as Dido Elizabeth Belle, who was a mixed-race heiress and lived in Kenwood House in the 1700s. The book's historical accuracy and attention to detail are impressive and will likely spark an interest in history for young readers.Posters, diary entries, case notes, letters, dialogue (quotations), character descriptions, fact files, persuasive speeches Main Outcome:

The synopsisreads: "Twelve-year old girls Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House – but they both share a love of solving mysteries. When their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane theatre one night, both girls are sure they’ve seen something suspicious on stage. Lizzie and Belle soon find themselves on the trail of a mystery – and becoming best friends. Can they work out what is going on in time to prevent a murder?" The characters are all really interesting, I love the contrast of lives between Belle and Lizzie, it makes them work in such an interesting way. Belle being brought up by an incredibly rich family who gets everyone’s attention, but is incredibly lonely. Then we have Lizzie a girl from a bigger family that are deep into education and helping one an other, she’s a girl with an Inquisitive mind and doesn’t rest until she gets her answers. In this story we meet Lizzie Sancho and Dido Belle are from different worlds – Lizzie lives in Westminster in her dad’s tea shop, while Belle is an heiress being brought up by her aunt and uncle at grand Kenwood House . With a grand conspiracy afoot, and a mysterious organisation threatening their closest friends and family, who can Lizzie and Belle trust?

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The illustrations of the novel are what let me enjoy this story more. I could picture the scenes and characters more easily in my mind. Shout out to Simone Douglas for these gorgeous illustrations. Liz Bankes, editorial director and Aleena Hasan editorial assistant at HarperCollins imprint Farshore, formerly Egmont, acquired world rights in all languages from Jasmine Richards at Storymix. The first title will be published on 4th August 2022, with a second book to follow in summer 2023. The one thing that annoyed me was the way their approach to mystery solving is from the 20th/21st century. J. T. Williams is new to me, but I love children’s crime stories, and the cover looked like a lot of fun, so I leapt right in.

The only criticism of the book is that some parts of the story feel a bit rushed and underdeveloped. There are times when the plot feels a bit too convenient, and some of the character development could have been more nuanced. Nonetheless, these issues do not detract significantly from the overall enjoyment of the book. Liz Bankes, editorial directorand Aleena Hasan, editorial assistant, acquired world rights in all languages from Jasmine Richards at Storymix. The first title will bepublished on 4th August 2022, with a second book to follow in summer 2023. Drama and Danger (The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries)" by J.T. Williams is an excellent middle-grade mystery book that is sure to captivate young readers with its intriguing plot, lovable characters, and fascinating historical setting. The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger is winner of The Week Junior Children’s Book of the Year: Breakthrough Award, and shortlisted for the Waterstones 2023 Children’s Book Prize!

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Once again it is up to the two girls to unveil the truth and put an end to the corruption that plagues the city. The setting of London in 1777 comes across very clearly, and made me feel like I was really there. The illustrations by Simone Douglas are lovely, and really bring the story (even more) to life.

On 11 April 1777, Ignatius Sancho while performing in Shakespeare’s play Othello got injured by the fall of a Chandelier. This seems like an accident at first, but both Lizzie and another girl at the theater Dido Belle saw a mysterious man on the balcony. This leads them to the idea that this is not an accidental fall after all but a huge conspiracy is behind this incident. Thank you so much author for the historical note at the end. It was really helpful and informative. Joanna Williams aka Joanna Brown is a writer and educator, and was the runner up but ‘highly recommended’ for the Life Writing Prize 2020 with Birds can be heard singing through open windows, a piece on maternal bonding and loss. Joanna also facilitates creative writing workshops. Last year she was involved in the development of the literary education programme Africa Writes: Young Voices, linking poets with London school students to explore writing from Africa and the diaspora. And when their eyes meet in the audience of the Drury Lane theatre one night, both girls are sure they’ve seen something suspicious on stage.Why does Lizzie have so much spare time? She’s essentially of working age even for the lower middle classes. The author has done a good job of adding historical facts within the storyline without it feeling like a history lesson. Lizzie and Belle are both sensible, likable characters and the secondary characters are all believable. In conclusion, #TheLizzieandBelleMysteriesDramaandDanger by J.T. Williams is a highly entertaining and informative middle-grade mystery book that is perfect for young readers who enjoy historical fiction and detective stories. The book's engaging plot, lovable characters, and fascinating historical setting make it an excellent choice for parents and educators who are looking for inspiring and educational literature for children. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good mystery story with a historical twist. I give it a solid 4/5 star rating. Women didn’t really wear dresses as we think of them now, they wore layers and pieces tied together The author has no idea about either the press or the theatre of the period: no one is going around Interviewing actresses for magazines.