The Historical House books are immaculately researched, engagingly written and quietly educational and this one includes links to websites where readers can find out more about Mozart and eighteenth century life. * Woman's Way *
Following three books published in 2004 by Turnbull, Adele Geras and Linda Newbery about girls who have lived in the same house in different periods, this is one of the next trio in the series 'Historical House'. In this story, the house is a girls' school, and Mary Ann one of the small number of pupils, studying Deportment and other accomplishments as well as French and Geography. She has a good soprano voice, and is soon selected for the end-of-term concert, and life is very pleasant, until her father's ship goes down with its valuable cargo of slaves (which makes Mary Ann feel rather vaguely uncomfortable), and she is told that the family can no longer afford to keep her at school, although her brother's education will continue. The Miss Mozart connection is very slight: there is a school outing to Ranelagh Gardens, where the young Mozart children are playing, and Mary Ann, entranced by the children's skill, discovers that the girl's name, Nannerl, is short for Maria Anna: the title serves more to place this story in its historical context. Her ticket to Ranelagh, which she treasures as a souvenir, becomes stuck in its hiding place in the panelling, and will evidently be discovered in a later period by a girl in another book. The story flows well, with touches of humour in home and school life which will appeal to girls at KS2, and at the time they will be learning about life in Georgian England. * Diana Barnes, School Librarian Journal *
These are engaging novels, immaculately researched and quietly informative. They can be read in any order; those who read them all will be thrilled by the occasional links that draw characters together across generations. * The Guardian *
