#MMGM: The Peach Thief, by Linda J. Smith
I'm posting today with the fantastic Marvelous Middle Grade Mondays blog hop hosted by Greg Pattridge of Always in the Middle. Check out Greg's blog for a list of additional middle grade reviews.
Title: The Peach Thief
Author: Linda Joan Smith
Publication Information: Candlewick Press, 2025, 385 pages
Source: Library
Publisher's Blurb (Goodreads):
The night that workhouse orphan Scilla Brown
dares to climb the Earl of Havermore’s garden wall, she wants only to
steal a peach—the best thing she’s ever tasted in her hard, hungry life.
But when she’s caught by the earl’s head gardener and mistaken for a
boy, she grabs on to something a temporary job scrubbing flowerpots. If
she can just keep up her deception, she’ll have a soft bed and food
beyond her wildest dreams . . . maybe even peaches. She soon falls in
with Phin, a garden apprentice who sneaks her into the steamy,
fruit-filled greenhouses, calls her “Brownie,” and makes her skin
prickle. At the same time, the gruff head gardener himself is teaching
lowly Scilla to make things grow, and she’s cultivating hope with every
seed she plants. But as the seasons unfurl, her loyalties become
divided, and her secret grows harder to keep. How far will she go to
have a home at last? Beautifully crafted with classic middle-grade
themes of fate and ambition, identity and personal responsibility, this
stunning debut features brisk pacing, crackling dialogue, and deep
insight into what makes a garden thrive—and a heart and mind flourish.
My Review:
Set in the late 19th-Century period of great wealth and great poverty, and vast estates, this book has a lot going for it. The historical setting is well-researched and incorporated into the story. Scilla is a flawed main character who still makes you root for her all the way. Her naivete about people surprised me at first, but in the end I decided that it was true to a) her age (which I take to be about 12?) and her life up to this point, which has shown her the cruelty of adults but too little of love or kindness to be able to assess the integrity of other young people. Nor has it exactly given her a reason to distrust someone who steals.
I liked the setting and most of the story, cringing at some of Scilla's choices and some of her mistakes, but rooting for her to somehow get it right. The ending is a nice nod to second chances and happy endings, and if not completely believable is still the ending you would hope for.
The writing in this story is solid, but I can't say it glowed for me. I enjoyed reading the book, but also had no trouble putting it down for long periods, especially in the middle.
My Recommendation:
This one will appeal to kids who like historical fiction and orphan stories. I could have done without the hints of "romance" as Scilla gets a major crush, but many young readers will like that element of her growing up. There are hints of "adult activities" among the older servants, but nothing explicit. About age 9 and up.
FTC Disclosure: I checked The Peach Thief out of my library, and received nothing from the writer or publisher in exchange for my honest review. The opinions expressed are my own and those of no one else. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
Rebecca M. Douglass, 2025
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This sounds like an interesting story, but it's too bad that you didn't mind putting it down. Thanks for sharing it for MMGM!
ReplyDeleteSometimes my attention is hard to grab and hold. It's a disconcerting thing for someone who has always been able to read for long periods. But it's always needed to be just the right book.
DeleteThis one is on my reading list. I'm glad to see it's got a strong historical setting. Thanks for your review. :)
ReplyDeleteI think what's really stuck with me is how many people it took to run those giant estates! Dozens of gardeners, similar numbers of house servants... the rich supported a lot of people, but mostly by making them a little less than human, and a lot less than equal.
DeleteI sometimes struggle with historical fiction, but this really did pique my interest, especially after reading your review. Happy MMGM
ReplyDeleteGive it a look!
DeleteThe historical aspect and such catches my attention (soft-spot for that), but I'll admit that I tend to get distracted easily. So being able to lay it down makes me wonder.
ReplyDeleteWell, I had a lot of great distractions going on, so maybe not a fair test!
DeleteI know what you mean about the right book at the right time. I'm a notoriously 'moody' reader, and can sometimes put down a good book just because it's not for me at that particular moment. The Peach Thief sounds like a book I would enjoy. Thanks for the recommendation!
ReplyDeleteI usually have several books going on the e-reader, and several more on my phone. I am totally a fickle reader!
DeleteThis sounds intriguing! I love books set in the Victorian times, and Scilla is completely sympathetic. I'm not a huge fan of crushes and romance for this age group, but it sounds like it was tastefully done. I'll keep an eye out for this one--thanks for featuring it!
ReplyDeleteI think the crush gave a bit of extra plausibility for Scilla's failure to see through a certain user. But the author gave it a set of physical responses (getting hot and blushing, nothing excessive) that I'm not sure were necessary.
DeleteI love historical fiction and this time period is always a favorite. I'll probably read this one and be taking breaks just like you as the plot progresses. Thanks again for being a part of Marvelous Middle Grade Monday.
ReplyDeleteI think I partly took breaks every time Scilla made a bad decision. I never liked that in books, the character making a bad decision that I could see as one (I was usually okay if it *looked* like a good choice at the time).
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