It’s my stop on the blog tour for one of my favourite books of 2026 – Questers Academy: The Box of Locks. I’m thrilled to welcome author Sam Hay to Scope for Imagination with a guest post.
New Kid in Town – A survival guide!
We’re often told to write about what we know. And that’s certainly true for Questers Academy. Not that I ever joined a secret museum summer school, unfortunately. Nor do I have a super-human ability to remember faces like the main character, Tom. But just like him, I was often the new kid in town.
By the time I was 12 I’d been to six different schools and lived in eight different houses. Since then, I’ve had a deep connection with ‘outsiders.’ In Questers Academy, Tom has recently moved to London from a village in South Wales and he’s friendless, floundering, and filled with fear about what his new life might entail, until he meets Leesha, and suddenly his world changes.
‘New kids’ are definitely my people. I’ve never forgotten that need to fit in, make friends and not to stand out at school. Being the new kid makes you open to saying ‘yes!’ Which means anything might happen, as Tom discovers when Leesha asks him to join the secret Questers Academy, where kids learn to protect dangerous mythical objects.
The ‘new kid’ trope is popular in books. Who doesn’t relate to a main character thrust into a challenging new environment, while having to rely on their wits and resilience to survive. It’s a frequent theme in stories about WW2 evacuees, where the heroes have to leave behind all that is familiar and adapt to their new homes. Great examples include: Goodnight Mr Tom by Michelle Magorian, Letters from the Lighthouse by Emma Carrol and the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis.
It’s a similar theme in Eva Ibbotson’s magnificent novel Journey to the Riversea, where thirteen-year-old Maia leaves England to live with relatives in a Brazilian jungle. While her relations refuse to embrace the local culture, Maia seizes every opportunity to make new friends and explore the jungle, reveling in nature and growing in confidence.
Another unforgettable ‘outsider’ novel is the story of Ahmet in The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Rauf. Ahmet is a Syrian refugee with a traumatic past, who makes deep, lasting friendships with children in his new class in England. As a result, his life, and theirs, changes forever.
I’d also highly recommend Floella Benjamin’s thoughtful memoir Coming to England, which perfectly captures her triumph over adversity after arriving in the UK from Trinidad.
No doubt you’ll have your own favourite ‘outsider’ novels. But to any new kids out there, floundering, friendless and feeling like you’ll never fit in, give it time. Soon you won’t be the new kid anymore. And remember, if anyone asks you if you want to become a secret guardian of mythical objects in the Natural History Museum, the answer is always: YES PLEASE! #QuestersAcademy
My Review:
Race against the clock through the heart of London with the Tom, Leesha and Finn in Questers Academy: The Box of Locks – the first in what promises to be a fantastic new middle grade series. Completely captivating, this fast-paced mystery is steeped in history and magic. Full of intriguing objects, engaging characters with unique abilities and seemingly unstoppable villains, it’s perfect for fans of Adventures on Trains and Isaac Turner Investigates.
Tom is on his way to a shark exhibit at the Natural History Museum in London when strange things start to happen. He meets Leesha and his life is never the same again. She introduces him to a secret summer school where young people with special talents train to look after ancient artefacts and powerful mythical objects. When a break-in sends the museum into lockdown, the rest of the Questers are trapped. It’s up to Leesha and Tom to find the stolen firebird, identify the location of the mysterious Box of Locks which protects a deadly ‘Doom Stone’ and track down the final key before the villains manage to break into the box and destroy London.
Tom is a ‘super-recogniser’. Once he sees someone, he never forgets them. This means he can identify thieves in a crowd and make connections no one else can. He’s an ideal recruit for the Questers but he’s not sure he can handle the stress! Leesha has a BIG personality. Confident and bold, she rushes headlong into any challenge. Finn is a talented young locksmith whose abilities and intelligence allow the trio to travel through a secret side of London. Together, they use their skills to navigate the most incredible treasure hunt, identifying symbols and solving clues each step of the way.
The Box of Locks is a story to make readers think! Short chapters and a ticking clock heighten the thrill. Dangerous threats and very real peril will keep readers on the edge of their seats and wishing they could join Questers Academy too!
Thank you to Firefly Books for this brilliant mystery adventure!
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| Primary English In Action by Kate Heap will be published in August 2026. Preorder it now! |
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