Naeli and the Secret Song

Naeli lives in India and one day receives an anonymous ticket to England. She feels that she must go, despite not knowing who it is from, because that’s where she believes her father is. She takes her precious violin with her and boards a ship to England where she meets Jack, who is on his way to boarding school.

Once she arrives in England, things are not quite as she expected, and several people seem very interested in her violin. Naeli decides to enlist Jack’s help to find the place where her father was last seen, as none of the adults seem willing to help her.

I really enjoyed the mystery element to this story, and not knowing what was so special about the violin. All the adults the children met along the way seemed to know more about Naeli’s father than they were letting on, so Naeli had to get creative to find out information. I also enjoyed the contrast in setting between India at the start of the book and Victorian London.

Suitable for children Y4 and up, this would make a good read aloud in the classroom. Children who are fans of mysteries, historical fiction, or adventures will enjoy this.