BLOG TOUR: The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow

I am really looking forward to Katherine Woodfine’s début novel, The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow. Firstly because if you are in any way interested in children’s books and their promotion, you will know Katherine as Booktrust Arts Project Manager extraordinaire, tirelessly promoting children’s books with projects such as The Children’s Laureate and YALC (Young Adult Literature Convention) and as part of the team behind the only radio programme about children’s books, Down the Rabbit Hole.

But also, because, I am a department store baby. My parents met while working at a department store, where my father was floor manager and my mum was shop assistant, and they worked there until I was well into my teens. I grew up in the aisles of that shop. I bought my first book there.

So I was delighted to be given the opportunity to take part in this blog tour.

You can follow Katherine on Twitter: @followtheyellow
You can also check out her website

The Mystery of the Clockwork Sparrow is the first in a new middle grade series brimming with mystery and adventure. After the death of her father genteel young lady Miss Sophie Taylor must seek employment.  She’s thrilled to join the staff at Sinclair’s, the most beautiful department store in London – and consequently – the whole world.  There she enters a world of bonbons, hats, perfumes and Mystery around every corner.
Working at Sinclair’s, Sophie makes lots of new friends: glamorous aspiring actress, Lil, serial paper obsessed Billy, and Joe – who is on the run from underworld criminals.
When the priceless Clockwork Sparrow is stolen from Sinclair’s grand opening exhibition, it is up to Sophie and her friends to bring the Dastardly villains to justice…

Sounds like the perfect mix of glamour and  mystery to me and it will undoubtedly appeal to fans of mystery-solving heroines (Robin Stevens’ Daisy Wells and Hazel Wongs, Christopher Edge’s Penny Tredwell, Lauren Child’s Ruby Redfort and Lauren St John’s Laura Marlin to be name a few) as well as period books (Stephanie Burgis’ Unlikely Adventures of Kat Stephenson springs to mind).

This wonderful début comes out on 4th June, and if all the above not enough to wet your appetite, here is a short video of Katherine talking how London has inspired her. If you follow the blog tour, each day you will discover a video of Katherine talking about different aspects of her inspiration and research for the series.

To find out more about The Mystery of the Clock Sparrow, follow the rest of the blog tour:
Yesterday, on Tales Of Yesterday
Then:

Monday 25th May – YA Yeah Yeah
Tuesday 26th  May – Overflowing Library
Wednesday 27th May – Middle Grade Strikes Back
Thursday 28th May – Winged Reviews
Friday 29th May – Snuggling on the Sofa
Saturday 30th May – YA Shot
Monday 1st June – Special Announcement! (A special post that we will share via Egmont channels on the day!)
Tuesday 2nd June – Playing by the Book
Wednesday 3rd June – George Lester Reads
Thursday 4th June – Chouchett Blog