Content levels
Trigger warnings
Positive tags
Hero archetypes
Heroine archetypes
Protagonist archetypes
Tropes
Synopsis
Simon, the foundling from *The Wolves of Willoughby Chase*, arrives in London to meet an old friend and pursue the study of painting. Instead he finds himself unwittingly in the middle of a wicked crew's fiendish caper to overthrow the good King James and the Duke and Duchess of Battersea. With the help of his friend Sophie and the resourceful waif Dido, Simon narrowly escapes a series of madcap close calls and dangerous run-ins. In a time and place where villains do nothing halfway, Simon is faced with wild wolves, poisoned pies, kidnapping, and a wrecked ship. This is a cleverly contrived tale of intrigue and misadventure.
Is Black Hearts in Battersea appropriate for my child?
Suitable for most readers 9 and up.
A madcap middle grade adventure with period-appropriate peril including kidnapping, poisoned pies, wolves, and a shipwreck. Violence is present but not graphic, and the tone remains playful and adventurous throughout.
What to know going in
This book has mild violence, no sexual content, and clean language. Content notes include kidnapping, poisoning, and animal harm (see the full list above).
Who'll love this
Kids who love fast-paced adventures with clever heroes, villainous plots to foil, and exciting narrow escapes will enjoy following Simon and his friends through Victorian London.