The Midwatch

by Judith Rossell

From Judith Rossell, internationally bestselling author–illustrator of Withering-by-Sea, comes The Midwatch , a multi-award-winning Australian novel that's perfect for middle-grade readers who love cosy mysteries, thrilling adventures and strong female characters.

‘The city was stuffed full of wickedness, everyone knew that …’

Banished to the Midwatch Institute for Orphans, Runaways and Unwanted Girls, Maggie Fishbone is sure she’s in for a life of drudgery. But she quickly discovers there’s more to the Midwatch than meets the eye …

The city shimmers with jewels and secrets, and soon Maggie is thrust into an adventure that takes her deep underground, high above the clouds and face to face with danger itself.

Turn the page and prepare to be drawn into a lavishly illustrated world, brimming with mystery, unlikely heroines and an adventure as big as the sky.

PRAISE FOR  THE MIDWATCH
Winner of the 2025 BookPeople Children's Book of the Year Award
Winner of the 2025 Davitt Award for Best Children's Novel
Shortlisted for the 2025 Australian Book Industry Awards
Shortlisted for the 2025 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature
Shortlisted for the 2025 Indie Book Awards
Shortlisted for the 2025 Australian Book Design Awards
Shortlisted for the 2024 Aurealis Awards
Shortlisted for the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize
Notable Book in the 2025 Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA) Awards

‘Gasp-out-loud brilliant! An absolute treasure of a book.’
— KATRINA NANNESTAD, bestselling author of We Are Wolves
 
‘I was hooked from the beginning ... Move over Lemony Snicket!’
— KAREN FOXLEE, award-winning author of Lenny’s Book of Everything

‘Welcome all treasure-hunters and mystery-solvers to the Midwatch Institute … [where] disobedient girls are not to be underestimated!' 
— AMELIA MELLOR, award-winning author of The Grandest Bookshop in the World
 
‘A cracking concept, sensational characters and absolutely smashing The   Midwatch is the cat’s pyjamas!’
— JACLYN MORIARTY, award-winning author of the Kingdoms and Empires series

‘Cinematic, amusing, and a slightly subversive, delightfully empowering, all-around winner.’
– Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

‘Absolutely winning adventure tale brimming with awe-inspiring characters.’
– The Sydney Morning Herald 

'[A] subversive and captivating examination of adventure, lifelong learning, and sisterhood ... Action and adventure abound.'
– Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Mystery, Adventure, Childrens, Fiction, Audiobook

319 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2024

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a complete joy this book is. Secret girls school,old fashion feel good adventure. Good gosh Betsy! It’s the bees knees!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good gravy! This is a brilliant book.

A cracking story of girls in the most unexpected orphanage, with an exceptional headmistress.

Set in an alternative 1920s Germanic state, there are crimes, baddies and airships.

Along with pages of a handy manual from the headmistress.

While I read a softcovered, advance reader’s copy, the illustrations are sensational. This is rollicking good read.

Here’s hoping it’s just the first in a very long series.

[Heather~ Nature.books.and.coffee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every now and then I read Middle Grade novels because they are just a joy and can be such a great escape. This one was enjoyable, and I can definitely see children really loving it. It's about Maggie, who gets kicked out of her orphanage to go to The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls. She's expecting this to be a bad place, but is surprised to find out that there is a secret club for amateur detective girls where they learn all kinds of skills to help them solve cases. She becomes friends with some of the girls and loves the staff. They become more of her found family and finally feels her sense of belonging. The characters are so cute and I think kids are going to love the adventures in this book.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is such a beautiful book with lovely illustrations and a great premise. I very much enjoyed the beginning but felt that Maggies journey got caught up in the plot and I longed for more characterisation.

[Daffodils_and_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group for the gifted copy of The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls.

The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls by Judith Rossell is adventurous, inspiring, and a little bit quirky. This whimsical story is great for young readers who like Matilda. I loved the artwork and the added “Useful Things Every Girl Should Know.”

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a TREAT. A wonderful addition to the literary canon of Books That Make Kids Wish They Were Orphans. And those illustrations? Ugh ♥️

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

A ‘feel GREAT’ girl’s own adventure.
What do orphans need?
It’s not cruelty, ceaseless drudgery and gruel that’s for sure.
I suspect they need kindness, some hot chocolate and friendly companionship followed by some training in the essential arts of knot tying, walking silently, Morse code and perhaps the Charleston? And now on to the important task of thwarting monsters, rescuing old ladies and catching bad guys.
This is an absolutely brilliant middle grade novel filled with cosy good vibes and fantastic illustrations.
Read it as soon as it’s released this October
Thank you to Hardie Grant for this ARC

[✧ Beanie Reads ✧ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read: June June 19th - June 28th
Format: E-Book
Rating: 3 Stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a cute middle grade book overall. A nice secret-agent-type school for 'outcast' girls with a lot of fun and creativity put into its system. I think it'd even make for a very fun show or something for kids.

While I can appreciate how fun this could be for kids, it's one of those MG that just reads too young and misses the mark for me. I think it's mostly because it was so much more plot oriented. Harriet steals the show so much that for a bit I forgot Maggie's name 🤣 I am extremely character oriented, so such a plot-forward story just didn't do as much for me. Still a fun story for younger readers, though!

[mia ඞ chaos in a flesh suit · Rating 4 out of 5]

protect and embrace the weird girls in ur life

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars!

With a hint of harry potter mixed with series of unfortunate events wrapped up with Nancy drew.

An absolute delight to read and I hope there will be more of these books!

[Katey Flowers · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Judith’s illustrations are incredible as always

[merle · Rating 5 out of 5]

middle grade at its best ✨
& was für wundervolle bilder!!💛

[Basia · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75*

[Kate Mckillinit · Rating 4 out of 5]

Literal perfection - like everything this woman touches. Australia's hidden gem.

[Rebecca Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love that this book has young girls as the heroines! I was drawn to reading this based on my love of the authors previous books but this didn't keep my interest as much and I didn't feel as invested in the main characters as I did with the Withering-By-Sea series.
Though the illustrations throughout are gorgeous.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Good gravy I enjoyed this (and the funny exclamations)! I am a sucker for a school for spies/detectives, I loved the illustrations, the characters and steampunk setting were memorable, and the tongue-in-cheek tips for various things such as knot tying and how to shout loudly were delightful.

reread 10/31-12/1 for book club at school

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter and I read this together and it was a brilliant kids book that kept both my 5 year old and myself engaged, and eager to keep reading. Great mystery, fun characters and wonderful world building. A real delight.

[DaNae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beware little girls, if you are bad and unwanted you will end up at the worst of the worst of the worst orphanages - Midwatch.

Or is it?

This book is over-the-top-ridiculousness. Reminiscent of Lisa Yee’s Misfits series and Friday Barnes, another Aussie mystery series. There was nothing about this that needed to be taken too seriously. My favorite, the Countess, the simply drawn, but oh so lucious villainess. Every time she yelled, “Little Girls” I was in stitches.

[Jackie Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a lovely, cosy novel, another winner from Judith Rossell!

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enjoyable middle grades book featuring Girl Power! Loved it. I hope there are more books in the works.

[Bethany Gorski]

really delightful, just a bit young for me

[Lisa Goldstein · Rating 5 out of 5]

A truly delightful story!

[Dianne Wolfer]

I loved this book and couldn’t put it down!

[Dara Tinius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute middle grade read. Like a Steampunkish little princess.

[happylittlebirdy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Alyssa Harlan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Charming and clever! This book is a delightful ride into an alternate universe with heroes who no one saw coming.

[Katy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful children's chapter book

[Yusra ❥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving this arc!

Despite Rossell's books being popular in Australia while I was a kid I never picked up her popular Withering by the Sea series as my elder sister had beat me to it, so imagine my joy when I come across this author once again. This book did not disappoint, the writing was transportive, the characters loveable and the plot enthralling. Every other page was filled with illustrations done by the author (!) which were beautiful and immersive. The aesthetic is one I've never been able to get over, with a slightly Victorian feel which greatly complimented the narrative. The basic premise for the book is Maggie is sent to an orphanage for girls which presents itself a terrible place to live, only teaching things like sewing and cleaning. However that is but a facade and the ladies who run it train the girls in plenty of useful endeavours; rope tying, hiding, surviving hypnosis etc in an effort to fight crime in London. Overall the novel was charming and I hope to Inshallah add this to my primary school classroom one day.

[Trixie Mellor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is simply the Cat’s Whiskers!

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is a red flag if the blurb says whimsical. Fine, but never came alive for me.