It is wonderful to be back with Penny Black and the adorable Wishyouwas in a second adventure. Wishyouwas is a Sorter of lost letters and the most charming character in all of children’s literature.
We first met Wishyouwas and his companions in the enchanting 1952 Christmas story Wishyouwas: The Tiny Guardian of Lost Letters. This time it’s the summer of 1953, only days before Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation. A summery story with lovely trubute to our Queen and her extraordinary reign, this book will delight readers with a perilous journey across London in an attempt to solve the mystery of a missing letter that could spoil the ceremony. This is a time when letters were everything. So much more than the main method of communication, they were an art form to be treasured and saved.
This story opens with Penny feeling sad. She and her mother are moving to Edinburgh. Although they’ll get to spend more time together, Penny will have to leave her dear friend Wishyouwas behind. How can she possibly tell him? When Wishyuouwas arrives with an unusual summons from Buckingham Palace, he asks Penny to go with him. They find themselves with a very important undercover mission. The most important letter in the country – the Monarch’s Seal – has gone missing. Full of royal secrets, it must not fall into the wrong hands!
The Secret Society of Very Important Post is full of the language of spies: incognito, envoy, secret branch and spies. Faced with an incredibly challenging situation, Penny and Wishyouwas must learn to believe in themselves and look after each other. Teamwork is key if they’re going to solve mysterious codes and get to Westminster Abbey in time. This book would be a lovely read aloud in Year 2+ and perfect for independent readers age 8+. With all the coverage of the King’s coronation last year and reflections on Queen Elizabeth II following her death, many children will be aware of the background information and enjoy seeing it come to life in the story.
“Never forget, nothing is ever lost that cannot be solved.”
Thank you to Bloomsbury Children’s Books for an early copy of this gorgeous book!
Books by Kate Heap (ad):
Order Fiction & Poetry and Non-fiction for Year Two on the links below:
Books for Years 3 -6:
Scope for Imagination 