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A rip roaring adventure for a delightfully spirited girl! Orphaned and penniless, Clemency Wrigglesworth sets off fromIndiaentirely on her own and with little idea of what she’ll find when she reachesEngland. On her journey she is looked after by the redoubtable Mrs Potchard and later by the Marvels, her unusual family inLondonwho take Clemency in while they try to find out about Miss Clawe, Clemency’s surviving relative.
When the scary Miss Clawe snatches Clemency away the Marvels are hot on her tail as they are determined to make sure Clemency is safe.
A Piece of Passion by Helen Bray Editorial Assistant Oxford University Press Children’s Books Clemency Wrigglesworth is a tremendous character: her good sense, courage, and honesty mean you’re rooting for her all the way, and her unintentionally-unconventional approach to the challenges life throws at her keeps you laughing for the duration!
She’s supported by a fantastic cast of equally well-drawn characters, including the red-haired, long-limbed Gully Potchard and his spirited cousin Whitby, who follow Clemency across the country with a band of not-quite-genuine Red Indians, a stern school mistress with a weakness for sugar mice, and a scullery maid called Poll whose life is turned upside down when Clemency crashes into it!
The story is so much fun to read, partly because the author, Julia Lee, puts the reader in the privileged position of being able to see that the characters are going to collide, whilst ensuring that the outcomes of the collisions are always surprising! I like to think of it as a ‘proper children’s book’—fun, exciting, and really rewarding.
Not forgetting the skulduggery, magic, and derring-do that fill the pages! Fans of Lemony Snicket, Eva Ibbotson, and good, hearty stories will relish this rare gem. I hope you enjoy The Mysterious Misadventures as much as I did! Please let me know what you think via Twitter (@Hellzapop) or send your comments direct to our Children’s Books team (@oupchildrens).

In addition to our Lovereading expert opinion for The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth a small number of children were lucky enough to be invited to review this title. Here's a taster....'It has many unexpected twists which is one of the many things I like about this story.'
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Clemency is utterly penniless and entirely alone, until she's taken in by the marvellous Marvels - a madcap family completely unlike her own. But it's a surprise to them all when she's mysteriously bundled from the house by the frightening Miss Clawe. Concerned about her fate, the Marvels set out to find her.
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Clemency is utterly penniless and entirely alone, until she's taken in by the marvellous Marvels - a madcap family completely unlike her own. But it's a surprise to them all when she's mysteriously bundled from the house by the frightening Miss Clawe.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-10 years old
The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth features in the following genres: Books Reviewed by our Reader Review Panels, Recommendations, Adventure Stories, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Fantasy / Magical, Recommended Children's eBooks, Featured Books for 9+ readers
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The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth was written by Julia Lee and published by Oxford University Press
The Mysterious Misadventures of Clemency Wrigglesworth has 314 pages