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The Treasure Seekers
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 25, 2026
Enjoyed the bit of social history this was on
January 8, 2026
I was asked by NetGalley to review this children's book, which I did over Twixmas.
A really interesting story - told from Stanley and Martha perspective.
It is the aftermath of World War 1, the village has lost so many boys and men in the trenches, whilst those who came back are damaged.
1918- a terrible time with men not returning, women struggling, and then to cap it off - the Spanish flu which infected around one-third of the global population and causing an estimated 50 to 100 million deaths. What did not help was men returning from the front had been subjected to terrible conditions, people at home could not afford medical attention ( years before the NHS would be born). The flu essentially had a high mortality rate for young people.
Stanley and Martha social standing is poles apart but the flu brings them together - Martha from a well to do background and Stanley from the village. Martha's Grandfather was concerned for the church stain glass windows and if the Germans would bomb the church, so he did the panes, he is dead and the village males who helped to take the panes down and hide these are lying on the western front. So no one knows where they are.
Stanley is convinced that the stain glass will save his mother - who has the deadly flu and save the village. Then Stanley comes down with the flu also.
The quest is on for Martha to try to locate the panes and bring the village together.
Martha learns valuable lessons, but will she find the stain glass that the village so badly needs.
A really well written story that keeps the reader guessing, showing just how wrong people can be with social standing and prejudices.
Thank you NetGalley and Firefly Press for letting me read before publication.
Recommended read and due for publication February 5 2026.
A really interesting story - told from Stanley and Martha perspective.
It is the aftermath of World War 1, the village has lost so many boys and men in the trenches, whilst those who came back are damaged.
1918- a terrible time with men not returning, women struggling, and then to cap it off - the Spanish flu which infected around one-third of the global population and causing an estimated 50 to 100 million deaths. What did not help was men returning from the front had been subjected to terrible conditions, people at home could not afford medical attention ( years before the NHS would be born). The flu essentially had a high mortality rate for young people.
Stanley and Martha social standing is poles apart but the flu brings them together - Martha from a well to do background and Stanley from the village. Martha's Grandfather was concerned for the church stain glass windows and if the Germans would bomb the church, so he did the panes, he is dead and the village males who helped to take the panes down and hide these are lying on the western front. So no one knows where they are.
Stanley is convinced that the stain glass will save his mother - who has the deadly flu and save the village. Then Stanley comes down with the flu also.
The quest is on for Martha to try to locate the panes and bring the village together.
Martha learns valuable lessons, but will she find the stain glass that the village so badly needs.
A really well written story that keeps the reader guessing, showing just how wrong people can be with social standing and prejudices.
Thank you NetGalley and Firefly Press for letting me read before publication.
Recommended read and due for publication February 5 2026.
January 17, 2026
I received an e-ARC of this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
3.5 stars out of 5
This is an interesting little tale told in near-poetic form, good for confident younger readers, or to be read by multiple people. There are two points of view, Martha and Stanley, with each clearly labelled and easy to differentiate between in any case; Stanley's point of view appears to have more of an accent than Martha, who is higher up the social ladder and so speaks in a more 'proper' manner.
The plot is perfect for an adventurous child or younger teen, historically poignant and accurate without being overly verbose, but still holding on to the human-ness of both children; they have very little in common on the surface, but the treasure hunt they go on brings them and their community together in unexpected ways. A good quick read for an adult, a steady away sort of book for an older child.
3.5 stars out of 5
This is an interesting little tale told in near-poetic form, good for confident younger readers, or to be read by multiple people. There are two points of view, Martha and Stanley, with each clearly labelled and easy to differentiate between in any case; Stanley's point of view appears to have more of an accent than Martha, who is higher up the social ladder and so speaks in a more 'proper' manner.
The plot is perfect for an adventurous child or younger teen, historically poignant and accurate without being overly verbose, but still holding on to the human-ness of both children; they have very little in common on the surface, but the treasure hunt they go on brings them and their community together in unexpected ways. A good quick read for an adult, a steady away sort of book for an older child.
March 13, 2026
3.5⭐
Middle grade books written in verse are few and far between, namely because they're hard to do well. And this one, was done very well. The writing was still very easy to read, but the verse added an extra flow to the story, and I loved the use of textual variations too (e.g. The section talking about the windmill was shaped like a windmill).
My main issue is the content - this is a children's book about finding a hidden stained glass window, in a tiny village in 1910s England. It's not exactly the highest of stakes, and while I (as an adult) could appreciate the author's attention to detail about the stained glass, I suspect that I child simply would not care.
Honestly, when reading this book, all I could think was that I was sure that the author was a teacher, because this book would be perfect for a narrative poetry unit. Surprise - she is! So, this is a book I'm glad I've read, and will no doubt return to in the future, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to a child (unless they have a special interest in stained glass!) .
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc!
Middle grade books written in verse are few and far between, namely because they're hard to do well. And this one, was done very well. The writing was still very easy to read, but the verse added an extra flow to the story, and I loved the use of textual variations too (e.g. The section talking about the windmill was shaped like a windmill).
My main issue is the content - this is a children's book about finding a hidden stained glass window, in a tiny village in 1910s England. It's not exactly the highest of stakes, and while I (as an adult) could appreciate the author's attention to detail about the stained glass, I suspect that I child simply would not care.
Honestly, when reading this book, all I could think was that I was sure that the author was a teacher, because this book would be perfect for a narrative poetry unit. Surprise - she is! So, this is a book I'm glad I've read, and will no doubt return to in the future, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to a child (unless they have a special interest in stained glass!) .
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eArc!
February 7, 2026
Things I liked - it's written in verse; Stanley's Northern accent; its portrayal of depression and the mental effects of war. It is slow to get going, but its a good story with strong characters.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews