National Trust: The Secret Diary of Jane Pinny, Victorian House Maid

The Secret Diary series from Nosy Crow delves into specific periods in history to show what life would have been like at the time for young people honing their crafts and skills, whether as a young page learning to be a knight in The Secret Diary of John Drawbridge: Medieval Knight in Training, or as a girl entering the service of a grand Victorian country house in this book, The Secret Diary of Jane Pinny, a Victorian housemaid. Each of the books has a mystery at its heart; in this, a precious necklace goes missing and it's up to the maid to solve the mystery. Jane Pinny's character shines through her account of her days; her fears before her job interview, her excitement when the staff are photographed, and her awed wonder at the sheer number of staff who work in the house. Footnotes provide, for the readers who want them, more factual information that fleshes out Jane's comments and observations and the child I was sharing this with enjoyed these 'snapshots' into Victorian life and traditions. Sometimes footnotes can interrupt the flow of a novel but the formatting in Jane Pinney meant these added to the story. The illustrations by Jamie Littler also builds the humour and make the pages look even more enticing to young readers aged eight years upwards. An excellent series that will help develop work in the classroom around the Victorian era and Medieval castles and forts. I look forward to seeing what comes next. 192 pages / Ages 8-10 years / Reviewed by Ellen King.

Suggested Reading Age 7+