Title: Cosima Unfortunate Steals A Star

Written by: Laura Noakes

Illustrated by: Flavia Sorrentino

Published by: Harper Collins

Cosima Unfortunate Steals A Star is a brilliantly diverse book for the middle-grade age range, about a group of girls with a range of physical disabilities who have been hidden away in the Home for Unfortunate Girls, as they do not meet the Victorian Societies idealistic views of what the ‘perfect child’ should be.

Cos is an imaginative and endearing character whose impulsiveness often leads to disastrous events that her friends must rescue her from. She is a determined, spirited and highly independent heroine who continually fights to prove herself and her friends in the Home for Unfortunate Girls are more than their physical disabilities. The author, Laura Noakes, addresses the discrimination towards these girls in a sensitive and positive way. It is clear to young readers that the viewpoint of many at the time are reflective of the era. The sub-plot of Cos investigating who her family is works well and has been well plotted, albeit a little predictable.

I enjoyed this book and the way the girls ingenious teamwork overcomes not only their physical disabilities but also outwits the dastardly owners of the Home for Unfortunate Girls the sinister Stain siblings, Miss Stain and her awful brother Mr Stain. When they discover on one of their many heists that the smarmy Lord Francis Fitzroy wishes to adopt all twenty of the girls in the home, Cos and her friends endeavour to solve the mystery of why he would want, as he described, a bunch of ‘defective children’. 

When Miss Noone gate-crashes the Stain siblings social gathering at the home it provides the girls with the opportunity to visit The Empire Exhibition, where Lord Fitzroy is displaying a vast wealth of treasures he has acquired from around the world to find out his motives, only to discover he plans to experiment on them to find a so-called cure. Cos is motivated to plan a new even more daring heist to liberate the jewels Lord Fitroy has stolen from his travels around the world, including the fabulous tiara, containing the Star diamond from India, and send them back to where they belong.

I am always impressed by Flavia Sorrentino’s illustrations and in Cosima Unfortunate Steals A Star her beautiful artwork compliments the text perfectly as she expertly portrays the characters and their disabilities.

Previous books I have reviewed that have been illustrated by Flavia Sorrentino are: Book Review: The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks, written by Emily Kenny.

This book would be suitable to read to the class during a topic on the Victorians in KS2. the Victorian setting is well described and provides the ideal backdrop for a story with a theme of overcoming discrimination. It would also be a great book to initiate discussions on empathy and equality.

On the whole, it is a fun, well-crafted mystery adventure with some memorable characters. A spectacular Victorian mystery oozing diversity.

You can buy copies of Cosima Unfortunate Steals A Star by Laura Noakes and Flavia Sorrentino from your local bookshop, or online at uk.bookshop.org, an organisation with a mission to financially support local, independent bookshops.