The Unadoptables

Hana Tooke

Penguin

If you enjoyed the Lemony Snicket series, you’ll love this book. Set in 19th-century Amsterdam, five babies are found on the doorstep of a dark and corrupt orphanage in extraordinary circumstances – one in a toolbox, one in a coal bucket, one in a picnic basket, one in a wheat sack and one in a coffinshaped box. As they grow up, they form an unbreakable bond with one another, despite their drastically different personalities.

Twelve years on, when a sinister stranger attempts to drag the children away, they band together and escape, leading them on an adventure filled with mystery, courage and hope. Reviewed by Belinda O’Keefe