Gertie Milk and the Keeper of Lost Things

By: Simon Van Booy

Narrated by: Miriam Margolyes

Award-winning author Simon Van Booy introduces readers to a magical, whimsical world, perfect for fans of Circus Mirandus and Serafina and the Black Cloak.

When twelve-year-old Gertie Milk washes up on the island of Skuldark, she finds that all of her memories are gone. Home to helpful Slug Lamps, delicious moonberries, and a ferocious Guard Worm, the island is full of oddities, including a cozy cottage containing artifacts from every corner of history.

It is there that Gertie discovers she has been chosen as the next Keeper of Lost Things, tasked with the mission of returning objects to history’s most important figures right when they need them most. With the help of a time machine disguised as a vintage sports car and the guidance of her fellow Keeper, Kolt, Gertie dodges an elephant army in ancient Alexandria, crashes a 1920s flapper party, and battles a ruthless Zhou Dynasty king.

But soon, Gertie encounters an enemy that threatens everything the Keepers stand for: The Losers, villains who don't want to keep order but destroy it. Now, Gertie must uncover the truth of her own past if she wants to stop the Losers and set history back in place.

Critic reviews

"Wildly clever and entertaining, Gertie Milk is a timeless adventure that readers will never forget."
—Gregory Funaro, New York Times bestselling author of Alistair Grim’s Odditorium

“A gorgeous book that’s delightfully deep and outrageously good fun. I'm completely smitten with all the characters, especially brave, precocious Gertie! A funny, wise, rollicking adventure—just perfect!”
—Karen Foxlee, author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy

"Booy offers a story that explores good, evil, and those gray areas. Readers learn along with Gertie about this new world, which drives the pacing and suspense."
—School Library Journal

Plodding

Thin plot hung together with long passages of exposition. Every person they meet happens to be someone of historical significance. The bulk of the book is Girtie asking questions and her companions barfing out explorations. Boring.