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Peppermints #2
The Perils of Peppermints
Shipped off to Mrs. Spilking's Select Academy for Young Ladies, Emily goes up against Mrs. Spilking, who tempts children into misbehaving with delicious peppermints, and a nasty gang of villains who are after her inheritance.
264 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
5 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Brooks Wallace
43 books32 followersAward-winning American children's writer. Has received, among others, the NLAPW Children's Book Award and International Youth Library "Best of the Best" for 'Claudia' (2001), as well as the William Allen White Children's Book Award for 'Peppermints in the Parlor' (1983).
Wallace was born and spent her childhood in China, but then moved to the United States. San Francisco was often a port of entry for her family, who lived in a huge, white-pillared mansion on the side of a hill, later to become the Sugar Hill Hall mansion which served as the setting for some of her most popular books. She was a UCLA graduate.
Wallace won two Edgar Allan Poe Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for 'The Twin in the Tavern' (1994) and for 'Sparrows in the Scullery' (1998). 'Cousins in The Castle' (1997 and 'Ghosts in the Gallery' (2001) were also nominated for an Edgar Award.
Wallace was born and spent her childhood in China, but then moved to the United States. San Francisco was often a port of entry for her family, who lived in a huge, white-pillared mansion on the side of a hill, later to become the Sugar Hill Hall mansion which served as the setting for some of her most popular books. She was a UCLA graduate.
Wallace won two Edgar Allan Poe Awards from the Mystery Writers of America for 'The Twin in the Tavern' (1994) and for 'Sparrows in the Scullery' (1998). 'Cousins in The Castle' (1997 and 'Ghosts in the Gallery' (2001) were also nominated for an Edgar Award.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews
December 11, 2021
If you've read Peppermints in the Parlor, you've read this sequel. It's nearly the exact same story with just a few names and locations changed. I bought a hardcopy a few years ago and am just now getting around to reading it. Amazon is charging $39.99 [3rd party seller was all that was available when I did this review] for a hardcopy...it is not worth it. Just re-read Peppermints in the Parlor again. Wish I had known. Should have checked here first.
September 24, 2016
This reminded me SO much of "A Little Princess".
Nice characters, solid story and a happy ending!
Nice characters, solid story and a happy ending!
December 10, 2021
A pretty decent sequel to Peppermints in the Parlor, although I do think that one is a stronger book.
November 28, 2021
After her grizzly experiences in San Francisco, Emily Luccock is expecting smooth sailing with her aunt and uncle who are now reunited; but she is about to be separated from them again. Her uncle is broke and is told about a business opportunity in India so he and Aunt Twice are sailing there; but Emily is to stay in New York to go to a young ladies' boarding school, which turns out to be worse than her experiences in San Francisco. What can she do?
September 26, 2025
I had fairly well forgotten what happened in the first book, but the first chapter contained a nice reminder in the story (great idea!) It definitely took me a while to get back into the swing of this. The plot really doesn't pick up till over halfway through, and then it seems to rush toward the end. The author seemed to borrow quite liberally from Burnett's "A Little Princess". It ends well, but I wasn't in love with it as a whole.
July 16, 2019
Peppermints in the Parlor was one of my favorite books growing up, so I had my doubts about a sequel, which was written several years later. I've read other reviews of this book that complained that the storyline was the exact same as the first book, but I liked the change of scenery and the additional characters.
October 17, 2019
I read this in elementary school and loved it!
January 14, 2021
Not so much a sequel as just the first book in a different city.
November 5, 2025
Read aloud. The boys enjoyed it, but it was just like the first book except for a few changes to names and place.
September 15, 2015
I read the first book in 6th grade and the sequel has been laying around since then and I finally got around to reading it. So, in truth, it's really meant for a younger audience. I did like the first one enough to want to read this as an adult.
That said, even with the bar set really low considering it's more a kid's book, I can't give beyond two stars. It's basically exactly the first book and I don't know how there could have possibly been those one million perfect, random, astronomically unlikely coincidences. I mean it's a kids book... But the writing and problem solving turned extremely lazy even for low standards. And the ending after the bad guys lose was suddenly very confusing and disorientating, like what was going on, how much time passed because now there's a baby, what was going on with all the school girls in the meantime and how was their life after the "dramatic conclusion" before the end resolution... At the party I literally had no idea where they were and why Bella was there...as a fellow servant with Tilly, or a guest? It wasn't mentioned. And some things were randomly thrown in, like Uncle Twice casually, "you sent two guys to murder me." Oh. I would have thought that'd be kind of a big deal or interesting to mention, but it's less of a big deal than the fact nothing grew in the garden. I'm curious if Uncle Twice murdered Twice. Or maybe he had a nice chat and convinced them not to kill him. I'm shocked he figured out they were trying to kill him given how clueless all the characters are.
And really? Bella ends a fancy servant but a servant nonetheless? Can't this poor girl get rewarded with a long overdue education, you know, why she went to the boarding school and got stuck in this mess in the first place? And disposing of the two oldest girls by trying to just get some steamy navy man to take them away as if puppies at an adoption facility? At best, that's eye-roll worthy. There were definitely messages I picked up that I didn't like concerning women. For instance, the beautiful Princess gets what she wants, like chocolates, because she's pretty and flirty (and underage and drinking on a boat). The only way out of boarding school dangled in front of them is to be married off or to be a "governess," whatever the heck that is. Seems a likely goal...not. Sarah gets told she has beautiful eyes and is forever devoted. Sarah is sad and dumped at boarding school because she's not pretty enough. And how about those aforementioned navy dudes? Good thing all the men heroes pulled through for these helpless girls. I try not to be that feminist but when it's a kids book, I pay more attention to what messages are being sent. It bothers me more.
And all that magical money. Suddenly they're Scrooge McDuck. I get they got the money from the bad guys but how can there possibly be enough to fish them out of their black hole of debt and then last many lifetimes over after buying an enormous mansion fit to be a first class boarding school?
Weevil porridge though.
If you're an adult reading this with a kid, you will probably have this figured out in a heartbeat. It's really not clever. Bragging rights for calling how a kids book will play out?
On the bright side, giving it two stars, it's a fast read and entertaining enough.
That said, even with the bar set really low considering it's more a kid's book, I can't give beyond two stars. It's basically exactly the first book and I don't know how there could have possibly been those one million perfect, random, astronomically unlikely coincidences. I mean it's a kids book... But the writing and problem solving turned extremely lazy even for low standards. And the ending after the bad guys lose was suddenly very confusing and disorientating, like what was going on, how much time passed because now there's a baby, what was going on with all the school girls in the meantime and how was their life after the "dramatic conclusion" before the end resolution... At the party I literally had no idea where they were and why Bella was there...as a fellow servant with Tilly, or a guest? It wasn't mentioned. And some things were randomly thrown in, like Uncle Twice casually, "you sent two guys to murder me." Oh. I would have thought that'd be kind of a big deal or interesting to mention, but it's less of a big deal than the fact nothing grew in the garden. I'm curious if Uncle Twice murdered Twice. Or maybe he had a nice chat and convinced them not to kill him. I'm shocked he figured out they were trying to kill him given how clueless all the characters are.
And really? Bella ends a fancy servant but a servant nonetheless? Can't this poor girl get rewarded with a long overdue education, you know, why she went to the boarding school and got stuck in this mess in the first place? And disposing of the two oldest girls by trying to just get some steamy navy man to take them away as if puppies at an adoption facility? At best, that's eye-roll worthy. There were definitely messages I picked up that I didn't like concerning women. For instance, the beautiful Princess gets what she wants, like chocolates, because she's pretty and flirty (and underage and drinking on a boat). The only way out of boarding school dangled in front of them is to be married off or to be a "governess," whatever the heck that is. Seems a likely goal...not. Sarah gets told she has beautiful eyes and is forever devoted. Sarah is sad and dumped at boarding school because she's not pretty enough. And how about those aforementioned navy dudes? Good thing all the men heroes pulled through for these helpless girls. I try not to be that feminist but when it's a kids book, I pay more attention to what messages are being sent. It bothers me more.
And all that magical money. Suddenly they're Scrooge McDuck. I get they got the money from the bad guys but how can there possibly be enough to fish them out of their black hole of debt and then last many lifetimes over after buying an enormous mansion fit to be a first class boarding school?
Weevil porridge though.
If you're an adult reading this with a kid, you will probably have this figured out in a heartbeat. It's really not clever. Bragging rights for calling how a kids book will play out?
On the bright side, giving it two stars, it's a fast read and entertaining enough.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2008
I selected this from the juvenile audio books for my kids to listen to in the car. This book will appeal to juvenile readers who like the orphan put upon by outrageous evil adults theme. It should appeal especially to girls although my son seemed to enjoy listening to it as well. Emily is an orphaned heiress who is in the care of her Uncle and Aunt Twice. They are unexpectedly sent away to India and Emily is enrolled in 'Ms. Spilcking's Select Academy for Girls'. A boarding school in New York city. Emily soon discovers that the school is little more than forced labor and front for Ms. Spilking to swindle money from families who no longer want their orphaned family members. She endures many hardships all at the hands of Dickonsian adult characters. In the end however she finds that she is braver than she thought. With the help of some friends,(old and new) and the aid of coincidence Emily and her family perseveres to a happy ending for all.
July 28, 2014
This is a terrible sequel! The first book "Peppermints in the Parlor" was quite good -- the sequel not only laboriously and clumsily refers to the first book throughout but the plot of this book follows the first too closely. The heroine goes through almost exactly the same trials and tribulations, but they are much more boring since we've been here before in the first book!
Scary old-age home with captive occupants turns into scary girls boarding school with captive schoolgirls, the red-headed fishmonger boy from the first book (set on the West Coast) has a red-headed fishmonger cousin who lives on the East Coast, a cute kitten that raises spirits is swapped out here with a dog who plays the same role. Anyway, I could go on & on with the side by side comparisons, but I won't.
Just stick with the first book -- some stories were not meant to be serialized.
Scary old-age home with captive occupants turns into scary girls boarding school with captive schoolgirls, the red-headed fishmonger boy from the first book (set on the West Coast) has a red-headed fishmonger cousin who lives on the East Coast, a cute kitten that raises spirits is swapped out here with a dog who plays the same role. Anyway, I could go on & on with the side by side comparisons, but I won't.
Just stick with the first book -- some stories were not meant to be serialized.
April 28, 2015
I like so many of her other books, I was disappointed in this one. The dialogue is terribly repetitive, explaining the same things over and over. The plot is less fantastic than the first book and less interesting. The characters are still good though, although even new characters just seem to repeat the old characters from the first book. I had expected more originality.
January 5, 2009
I really enjoyed listening to this book (audio) very much. I think this book would be enjoyed more for young girls as it is about an orphan girl who finds herself with many trials and in the end comes across great fortunes. The narrator was extremely good as well.
July 27, 2007
This was terrifying at times because how they treat poor Emily! But it was a great book overall and i recommend it!
May 10, 2008
Really good mystery.
January 31, 2011
This book had the same feel and tone of the first book. I think I would have really liked it back in fourth grade when I read Peppermints in the Parlor.
February 18, 2009
Though this was not quite the experience for me that the fist book was this was still a wonderful historical refresher. I am glad this character had another book. Grades 4+
Want to read
January 21, 2010This is the sequel to one of my favorite books. I can't wait to read this
January 12, 2011
The first one is so much better. This one follows a similar plot as the first, but not nearly as engaging. My students enjoyed it, but we all like the first one the best.
September 1, 2012
3.5 stars. The sequel to "Peppermints in the Parlor. Good short read.
August 26, 2016
I have divided feelings about this one. It frustrated me throughout, but wrapped up nicely in the end... although it did seem to wrap up almost a little too nicely.
January 27, 2009
i really liked this book
June 2, 2012
Audio this time.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 27 reviews