Hana Tooke

"A compelling, gorgeously-written story about the power of friendship and the true meaning of family . . . perfection!" Robin Stevens, author of Murder Most Unladylike "A high-speed, witty, absurd and joyful adventure." Katherine Rundell, author of Rooftoppers and The Good Thieves The remarkable. The extraordinary. The brave. Way back in the autumn of 1880, five babies are discovered at the Little Tulip Orphanage in most unusual circumstances. Those babies are Lotta, Egbert, Fenna, Sem and Milou. The vile matron calls the children 'the unadoptables' but this talented gang of best friends know that their individuality is what makes them so special - and so determined to stay together. When a sinister gentleman tries to get them in his clutches, the children make a daring escape across the frozen canals of Amsterdam, embarking on an adventure packed with pirate ships and puppets. But is their real home - and their real family - already closer than they realize? "A corker of a story." Emma Carroll, author of Letters to the Lighthouse "A book to absolutely fall in love with." Cerrie Burnell, author of The Girl with the Shark's Teeth

Five fantastic children on the adventure of a lifetime

The Unadoptables

"Perfection!" Robin Stevens, author of the bestselling Murder Most Unladylike series "A corker of a story" Emma Carroll, author of Letters to the Lighthouse and The Somerset Tsunami "A book to absolutely fall in love with" Cerrie Burnell, author of The Girl With the Shark's Teeth The amazing humour and world-building of Nevermoor meets the wisdom and warmth of Rooftoppers in this completely unforgettable and totally gorgeous comedy-adventure! In all the years that Elinora Gassbeek has been matron of the Little Tulip Orphanage, not once have the Rules for Baby Abandonment been broken. Until the autumn of 1886, when five babies are left in outrageous circumstances: one in a tin toolbox, one in a coal bucket, one in a picnic hamper, one in a wheat sack, and finally, one in a coffin-shaped basket. Those babies were Lotta, Egg, Fenna, Sem and Milou, who were swiftly and firmly deemed 'the unadoptables'. Twelve years on the children still have each other - until the fateful night a most sinister gentleman appears and threatens to tear them apart. The gang decide to make a daring escape, fleeing the frozen canals of Amsterdam for an adventure packed with puppets and pirate ships, clock-makers and cruel villains - and with only a scrap of a clue to guide them to their mysterious new home . . .

Celeste Richardson

Actual rating: 4.5 stars, rounded up.

TS recommended this book to me last year, and it sounded absolutely delightful. But instead of picking it up immediately, I decided to save it for when I needed something warm and sweet and hopeful to brighten up my world. That was absolutely the right decision. I found myself in desperate need of comfort after I finished reading Deadhouse Gates, the second installment in Erikson’s Malazan Book of the Fallen series. That book felt like it destroyed my soul. And this book resurrected it, and reminded me that there’s goodness in the world.

The Unadoptables are five older orphans who have lived their entire young lives in what is possibly the foulest orphanage in the Netherlands. When a chance to escape presents itself, the five run away together in search of home and a family. I found all five of the orphans absolutely lovely. There’s Sem, the kindest boy you’ll ever meet, who’s incredibly gifted with a needle and thread. There’s Fenna, a beautiful redhead who is gifted in the culinary arts but has never found her voice. Lotta is a brilliant scientist in the making with six fingers on each hand, and she uses these extra digits incredibly nimbly. Egg is an incredibly talented artist of unknown Asian descent, who wants to map the world and find out where he came from. And finally, there’s Milou, of ebony hair and midnight eye, who was found on the roof in a tiny coffin and is certain her parents are coming back for her one day. She tells amazing stories, and is the leader of this ragtag crew.

All of the children were delightful. Some of the adults were unequivocally horrid, and others were more of a mystery until the final pages. But the children and their relationships with one another were the true core of the story, and I enjoyed every minute with them. The setting was inviting and atmospheric and just different enough from most similar middle grade novels to set it apart. The prose just kind of disappeared as I was reading, which is the absolute best thing a writer can accomplish in this genre, in my opinion. It was truly all about the characters and their story, and I think that kids who fall into the target audience range will find within this book a story that really resonates with them. But I also think this is one of those wonderful middle grade novels that is honestly perfect for just about anyone.

It’s been a long time since I read a book this size in a single sitting. It was a truly wonderful reading experience that acted as a balm for my soul after I had finished reading something moving but traumatic. The Unadoptables is a wonderful recovery novel or palette cleanser or whatever you choose to call it, especially if you’ve been reading heavier works. But it’s also a book that I would immediately buy for any kid I knew in this age bracket. It’s a comforting story very well told, and I’m so glad TS recommended it to me.

Liz Carpenter

4 ⭐️s for a really fun story, and another 4 for Fiona Hardingham’s fantastic audiobook narration. Perfect road trip book.

Joanna Rosenwink 

This beautiful tale is bursting with adventure and filled with the power of friendship. Delightfully chilling at times, this heartwarming story about a group of orphans in Amsterdam is an uplifting read highly recommended for middle grade readers and adults alike.

Lisa Beasley

Five very unique but outcast children have been labelled 'unadoptable' by the manager of the orphanage where they were all abandoned as babies. When this unscrupulous woman tries to sell the children they run away and embark on an adventure that will test them all. Will they each find the family they are looking for? 


Milou is the main focus of this book and I do love her even if she is a little single minded sometimes. She does come to realise the value of the family she has even if it may not be exactly what she had been dreaming of. Each of the children have wonderfully individual personalities and I adored them all, Lotta is a genius child, Fenna is a quiet kind soul, Sem is dedicated and caring and Egg is clever and brave. The plot was well thought through and gripped me all the way through, I saw a couple of things coming but there were still some good surprises too. 

I definitely recommend for anybody who wants a fun middle grade adventure story with some truly lovely characters.

I gave this book 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Unadoptables Five fantastic children on the adventure of a lifetime

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