The Unadoptables

Written by Hana Tooke

Five orphans escape a sinister threat to find their true family.

6.5/7 Bookroo expert·4.0/5 Goodreads · 3,057 ratings

256 pages· 73,963 words· Est. 9.5 hour read-aloud

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Bookroo's summary

In 1880 Amsterdam, five orphans—Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem, and Milou—are deemed 'unadoptable' by their cruel matron. When a sinister gentleman threatens to separate them, they embark on a daring escape across frozen canals. As they navigate hidden paths and unravel secrets, they must outwit a corrupt sea captain and a nosy neighbor. Can they uncover the truth about Milou's origins and find the family they've always longed for? Their journey is filled with mystery, danger, and the hope of discovering where they truly belong.

From the publisher

Neil Gaiman meets Hans Christian Andersen in this delicious fairy tale full of mysterious spirits, daring escapes, and a beautiful message about the power of found families.

Egbert, Lotta, Sem, Fenna, and Milou. They are an artist, an inventor, a sewist, a baker, and their imaginative ringleader–and they are the unadoptables: children who have lived their whole lives at the Little Tulip orphanage in Amsterdam. When a corrupt sea captain threatens to make them his minions, Milou knows it’s time to plot a daring escape. But she has no idea their caper will begin with a crime, or that it will take them down back roads and alleys, along frozen canals, to an old windmill housing an abandoned puppet theater, where the truth about her origins lies hidden if she can only untangle the clues. But with the sea captain hunting them down, and a nosy neighbor threatening to reveal them to the authorities, the unadoptables will have to work fast to uncover the truth and find a way to save each other.

At a glance

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 256
Words: 73,963
Reading age: 8–12
Audience: Picture
Lexile: 770L

Themes & topics

Books about family Books about orphans

For the grown-ups

The parent guide

What families may want to know

Every family reads differently. These are the concepts our editors noticed in this book — worth seeking out for some readers, worth knowing about for others. The list isn't exhaustive, but it's a spoiler-light head start.

Presence of Death

This book mentions death of a parent.

Scary Villains and Characters

This book includes a scary man that wants to adopt the children. He has a frightening pet dog as well.

After the last page

Talk about it together

Each of the five orphans were left at the orphanage in a unique item that became a defining element for them: like a picnic basket, a coal bucket, and even a wheat sack. If you could pick one unique item that describes you, what would it be?

The orphans made many difficult decisions during their adventures together. If you had to choose between pursuing your dreams or helping your friends reach theirs, what would you do? And what would help you make that decision?

What readers & critics say

Reviews

6.5

out of 7

6.5

“This is a very clever tale of orphans and their venture to freedom. Deemed unadoptable, these five children have their quirks, but they prove themselves worthy of the best as they help one another in this daring quest.”

Mom of Boys

Trusted reviewer

For readers who can't stop at one