Shadows in the Glasshouse

American Girl History Mysteries #10

by Megan McDonald

While working as an indentured servant for a Jamestown glassmaker in 1621, twelve-year-old Merry uncovers a case of sabotage.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Historical, Fiction, Adventure

131 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

"Sometimes I think I am Judy Moody," says Megan McDonald, author of the Judy Moody series, the Stink series, and THE SISTERS CLUB. "I'm certainly moody, like she is. Judy has a strong voice and always speaks up for herself. I like that."

For Megan McDonald, being able to speak up for herself wasn't always easy. She grew up as the youngest of five sisters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father, an ironworker, was known to his coworkers as "Little Johnny the Storyteller." Every evening at dinner the McDonalds would gather to talk and tell stories, but Megan McDonald was barely able to get a word in edgewise. "I'm told I began to stutter," she says, leading her mother to give her a notebook so she could start "writing things down."


Critically acclaimed, the Judy Moody books have won numerous awards, ranging from a PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Book of the Year to an International Reading Association Children's Choice. "Judy has taken on a life of her own," the author notes, with nearly 3 million Judy Moody books in print. Interestingly, the feisty third-grader is highly popular with boys and girls, making for a strong base of fans who are among Megan McDonald's strongest incentives to keep writing, along with "too many ideas and a little chocolate." And now -- by popular demand -- Judy Moody's little brother, Stink, gets his chance to star in his own adventures! Beginning with STINK: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING KID, three more stories, and his own encyclopedia, STINK-O-PEDIA, Stink's special style comes through loud and strong -- enhanced by a series of comic strips, drawn by Stink himself, which are sprinkled throughout the first book. About the need for a book all about Stink, Megan McDonald says, "Once, while I was visiting a class full of Judy Moody readers, the kids, many with spiked hair à la Judy's little brother, chanted, 'Stink! Stink! Stink! Stink! Stink!' as I entered the room. In that moment, I knew that Stink had to have a book all his own."


More recently, Megan McDonald has recalled some of her own childhood with the warmth, humor -- and squabbles -- of three spunky sisters in THE SISTERS CLUB.


Megan McDonald and her husband live in Sebastopol, California, with two dogs, two adopted horses, and fifteen wild turkeys that like to hang out on their back porch.

Reviews

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one as a kid, less so as an adult. Historically speaking, this isn't the best. Somehow, the fact of slavery--not the issue, not the problem, just the very fact of it--is completely ignored. However, I still enjoyed the contextual details about life on the ship and in Jamestown. They really did evoke the period, if not with full accuracy. This book did spark my childhood interest in glassmaking, and the process is presented with an appropriate level of detail. It's fine reading for middle grade readers who enjoy historical fiction, but not quite as historically inspiring as some of the other books in the series.

[Meghan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went to Jamestown many years ago and saw the glasshouse. It was interesting to learn the actual history behind it. Did not expect the ending, though part of that felt a bit convenient.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book did a good job keeping a lot of history in this fictional story. It was so interesting to learn how important glassblowing was to the early colony of Jamestown, and how some of the events relating to it in the story were actually true. I don’t even really remember learning about indentured servants being a big part of the new colony. Whether volunteered, prisoners or kidnapped, they were an important base to the new world. I’d never heard of tobacco brides either. What an interesting concept. I also had no idea that early American glass was green! I guess the glass they had on their house windows was green before they learned how to make cristallo?

I didn’t see the end coming at all. I did not suspect mistress Webbe at all. I almost even start suspecting Franco at one point because I thought Bernardo and master Webbe were too obvious. And Margaret coming as mr leak’s tobacco bride was certainly a surprise and a nice happy ending.

One thing they never did though was get Angelo’s book back to him.

[Jacinta Meredith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always amazed at how much historical detail is fit into these children's mysteries.

[Lydia Therese]

This was not a good book. There were a few grammatical errors, which was disappointing, and the writing felt awkward. There were lots of analogies that didn't make sense, and characters "boiled with anger" all the time. The story was also boring and it was completely unrealistic in every way. The MC is kidnapped and forced to become an indentured servant/slave, but by the end of the story she is pardoned and has her freedom, her sister has come to join her in Jamestown, she lives a comfortable life, and she still gets to work at the glasshouse. There's just absolutely no way. 😂

Book 2/264

[Ginnie Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

a cute enough piece of fluff but lacking the historical accurarcy one comes to expect from an american girl book and not really much of a mystery either. I did like the ending though.

[Katt Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's an interesting setting in history that I knew absolutely nothing about. Set in Jamestown in the early 1600's we meet Merry, who has come as an indentured servant and set to work in the Glasshouse for her servitude.

Of course mystery abounds - there is fierce competition between the glassblowers, and money to be made for the first person who can create clear glass in America. With lots of danger and excitement, Merry takes the reader through the thick of it in a satisfying tale set in very early American history.

I loved the historical detail. It was so interesting to find out about how glass was made (and how it still is in some areas though now it's considered an art and very little glass is still made this way). I've seen a glassblower at work before and to capture on paper that process takes a lot of skill. I admire the author for conveying this so well.

But the story itself is also well done. Fast-moving, lots of action, and Merry is likeable and very real. Overall I really wish that American Girl still made the History Mysteries. These are great stories, and well worth reading if you can find them.

[Emma Huston · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Library had a reading challenge for the winter and one of the badges was to re-read a childhood favorite. This book was well loved as a child and still a fun quick read today.

The story is a cute story about a girl who is kidnapped to be an indentured servant in the colony of Jamestown. And it also stars her friend who is like an older brother to her who she helps along the way. (It’s a very toned down story about any history other than glass making in the colony in 1621. Since it is ment for a child to read)

It’s been years since I read the book and it goes a lot quicker than I remembered. And after going to the glasshouse in Jamestown I have a better understanding of what it possibly looked like. It took me less than an hour and 1/2 to read. The book is falling apart and has some coloring in it but if that isn’t a sign that it was well loved by a kid idk what is.

I’m so glad that my library suggested this idea to re-read a childhood favorite. I will probably find another book to do it again since it was such a fun quick read.

[Katie Young · Rating 2 out of 5]

The glasshouse stuff was great, the rest of this was the opposite of that. The History Mysteries were after my time, but Sarah loved theme. Let's hope the others she bought me are better than this inaccurate mess of a book.

[Ashley Hobgood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had read this book out of curiosity. I enjoyed reading this book because of the drama and the mystery. I loved that the story was set in Jamestown, Virginia. I thought the novel was well written. It is a must read.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't particularly care for this one until the last two chapters. So take that as you will. Wasn't a super compelling story, the mystery didn't have too many points dropping throughout. Just fine. Merry also seemed way older? Idk why.

[Liset · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an amazing book of mystery, friendship and justice. I recommend this to anyone that likes historical fiction and/or mystery genres.

[Laurie Wheeler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating story of a young girl who became an indentured servant at the glasshouse in Jamestown.

[Autumn Maisy Raquet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looks good don't like chilling stuff

[Little Seal]

This one started off pretty intense, concerning, and gross and ended a little too happy. Not that Merry didn't deserve her happiness, but I have a feeling her fate would still be pretty darn bleak.

[Bj · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a good one

[Virgil · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sequel where Angelo and Merry get married when /j

[Danae · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5*

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shadows in the Glasshouse is a quick and entertaining read. Even though it is clearly written for pre-teens, it is a book any adult can pick up and enjoy. In addition to having a solid, well-rounded story, it provides a wonderful historic backdrop of early Jamestown and the not so glamorous life early settlers led. It also gives an account of indentured servitude, which is not a very common topic now-a-days considering the current political climate.

Overall it is a charming, fun story, which makes for a delightful afternoon of light reading. It's great for those times when you want to read but don't feel like getting extremely invested in something. Stories like Shadows in the Glasshouse are what turned me into being a bibliophile, and it's nice to revisit it from time to time. This is not the first American Girl History Mystery I have read, and I wish this is something the company had stuck with instead of pursuing the Girl of the Year doll line.

[Sophie Spruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Giving it four instead of five because there aren’t enough interesting background characters. I love Merry though and the mystery is interesting. Gives great information on early glass-blowing.

[Bulk Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this whole book on a day I was subbing and had nothing else to do.

I remember picking this one up when I was little and learning what a maggot was. I was so disgusted by the protagonist eating a maggot-infested biscuit that I didn’t read any more. Ever since I have always thought of this book upon hearing the word maggot.

Anyway. This book, like the last one, was pretty dark. The protagonist, Merry, is kidnapped and forced into indentured servitude in the New World. (I studied this topic a lot as a history major, so it interested me.) Her master dies disgustingly and she discovers his body, she’s put in jail, and she’s overall mistreated by the adults who are supposed to be taking care of her. I was surprised she didn’t suffer from depression. Only the ending is happy, and in a way that’s overly convenient.

One thing that irked me is that after a while, Merry decides she no longer wants to return to England. She even denies the opportunity to jump an English ship back home so she can help her new friend. This made no sense to me. Sure, she was living in poverty before, but her sister is still in England, and there’s a lot more civilization there than where she’s currently living. Plus, she isn’t free. Indentured servitude was really not much better than slavery at the time. But Merry regards her new friend Angelo to be just as precious as her older sister, and loves working in the glasshouse so much that she wants to stay (even though the couple she lives with is exceedingly cruel to her). Of course, it all works out in the end (she’s set free and reunited with her sister, who was barely mentioned, I might add) but she couldn’t have expected that to happen. Pretty unrealistic.

Until the ending plot twist, this book cannot be counted as much of a mystery. The bad guys are obviously bad, and on multiple occasions Merry overhears them plotting. I DID really like the villain reveal though. Once I thought back, I realized it should’ve been obvious, but it got me.

[James Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's common knowledge that Blacks were taken from their countries, shackled and brought to the U.S. to be sold as slaves. It's not so common knowledge that even some whites were taken against their will, brought to the U.S., and forced to work for businessmen here as indentured servants. Some came voluntarily, of course, but some were taken right off the streets and such is the case with Meredith Shipman who is taken to the Jamestown colony and put to work in a glass-making establishment.

There's no choice for her, of course, since there is no where to escape to, most of the area being wilderness, still populated by Native Americans. Fortunately for her it turns out that making glass is something she finds interesting and she's able to adapt to her forced situation.

What is not fortunate, though, is that someone is sabotaging the glass-house, messing with the ovens and even breaking pieces of completed glass. Meredith ends up in prison after she confesses to breaking the glass on purpose even though she didn't; she's trying to protect someone else. She gets out, finally, and is able to find out just who has been doing the sabotage and it turns out not to be any of the people she originally thought.

As always, there's an historical section added. The book is interesting and another good one in the series.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the six years since their parents died, twelve-year-old Merry Shipman and her older sister Margaret have had to survive on their own, which isn't easy in 1621 London. One day by the docks, Merry is kidnapped and taken aboard a ship bound for the Jamestown settlement, in the New World, where she will be forced to work as an indentured servant, which is little better than a slave. The sea voyage lasts three long, miserable months. Merry is both relieved and frightened to finally arrive in Virginia. Her five-year contract is purchased by the owner of the glasshouse. Although she is miserable and misses her sister, Merry enjoys watching the glass being made and is befriended by one of the apprentinces. But someone is sabotaging rhe work, and the chief suspect is Merrie's only friend. Merrie is determined to find the real culprit before it is too late. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoyed the other books in the History Mysteries series or enjoy other historical series such as Dear America.

[ElsaMakotoRenge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book when I first checked it out from the library aaaaages ago as a kid and I still really enjoyed it. Glassblowing is so cool and I’ve always found it fascinating, so it’s fun to read a historical fiction book focused on that!

Obviously Merry’s ending is, ah...VERY overly lucky for a 1620s girl in her (very shitty) situation, but I like that she got a happy ending lol.

The mystery aspect is predictable for the most part but not in a bad way (the reveal of the identity of the main big bad is good in my opinion, even though we knew multiple characters as bad guys throughout the story already lol).

Anyways! I fully acknowledge I am biased because I really enjoyed the glassblowing backdrop for the book, but I loved this one years ago and I still do.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

The American Girl History Mysteries are really hard to solve but interesting and fun. You also learn a little bit about the time period the book takes place.
Meredith (Merry) is kidnapped from London and taken to Jamestown as an indentured servant at a glass house.On the way to the New World she becomes friends with an apprentice,Angelo, who is a glass maker.When trouble occurs at the glasshouse, Merry tries catching the vandal and gets into a lot of trouble.Read the book to read the rest.

[Aurora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book dozens of times. It's a quick read, but I never get tired of it. I'm not a big fan of historical fiction, but I love this book. It is one of the best individual books I ahve ever read.

[Jillcocking · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have an excuse; it was for a school project.

[Brooke · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has the setting Jamestown, in the New World. A while ago, we studied this topic in history.

[Addie]

i like all of the american girl books but these history mysteries are better and they are scarier too..and i love them because of that! this is my fave history mystery 1 and it's pretty scary!

[Miss Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know I had just printed a really good review for this and it got eaten by the wretched computer. Arghh! Suffice for now to say this was my second favorite of the series.