The Secret Starling

by Judith Eagle, Jo Rioux (Illustrator)

3.5 out of 5 stars
Clara Starling lives with her mean old uncle in a huge manor on the desolate moors. One day without warning, he abandons her, leaving only a small bundle of cash. Clara decides to live on her own and enjoy the freedom of having no adults around to tell her what to do. Peter shows up at her door, claiming that her uncle arranged for Peter to stay at the manor while his grandmother is sick. The two children explore the manor and discover an old ballet slipper that may have belonged to one of the Starling family. They set out to follow the mystery of the ballet slipper and find that the Starlings have a terrible past full of murder and secrets.

This story is full of mystery and fun! I really liked the characters and all the wacky adventures. There are some very sweet family moments with Clara and her friends as they bond and support each other.

I really liked Clara’s character. She is friendly and warm-hearted, but she is also starved for affection. She is very determined to solve this mystery of the ballet slipper, hoping it will give her some clues about her family; but what she is really searching for is a sense of belonging.

However, I had serious problems with Peter’s character and with Amelia-Ann, Clara’s new best friend. There is a scene where they both shoplift from stores, and proudly display the items they have stolen. They laugh like it’s a big joke, and Clara goes along with it because she wants to fit in. This is never addressed again in the story. They don’t return the items or pay for them. They never get punished for it. They don’t confess or ask for forgiveness. They just trip along merrily in the rest of their adventures like nothing is wrong. These are the heroes of the story! Why are they shameless thieves?!? I’m very disappointed in the poor morals of this story.

The writing is charming and light-hearted. I read this entire book in one day because it was just such a quick and easy read. The chapters just fly by as the story captures your attention and your heart! Because I loved the characters so much and enjoyed so much of the story, it just made the shoplifting scene even more disappointing.

To see the objectionable content in this book, check it out on the Screen It First website! https://screenitfirst.com/book/the-secret-starling-2592983

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review.