Common Sense Media Review
By Andrea Beach
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fantasy sequel continues the fun adventure, and mad science.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
SECRETS OF THE PURPLE PEARL picks up right where the first Millicent Quibb volume left off, with the three Porch sisters banished to an Austrian boarding school that's not much better than a prison. They manage to escape when a wild animal gets loose in the dining room causing chaos and panic, and just when Millicent Quibb arrives to rescue them and take them away for the summer. Millicent suspects something fishy, if not downright evil, is going on at the Purple Pearl hotel, where all the town's most prominent citizens spend August. So she whisks the Porch sisters off to investigate. The first fishy thing they notice is a lack of shrimp at the seafood buffet, and the deeper they dig the surer they are that it has to do with an evil plot of the KRA, an organization of evil mad scientists. As they work with Millicent to foil the KRA, the sisters will learn secrets about themselves and their past that will change everything.
Is It Any Good?
This fantasy series sequel is every bit as hilariously absurd and delightfully adventurous as the first volume. Secrets of the Purple Pearl is also chock-full of smart-girl power and positivity. The witty narrator's voice keep the laughs coming and the pages turning. Even the footnotes are funny. Reluctant readers will enjoy the imaginative inventions and adventure. Along with Alfredo Cáceres lively, whimsical illustrations, this would also make a great read-aloud story. Readers of all kinds will relate to the Porch sisters as they find out more about themselves and the power of sisterhood while imagining a world and a future full of awesome possibilities.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the scary people and places in Secrets of the Purple Pearl. Does it get too scary, or does it add to the fun? What helps you feel better when you get too scared?
How do curiosity, communication, and perseverance help the Porch sisters solve problems? Do they work well together as a team, and with Millicent Quibb, too?
Did you read the first book in the series? If you did, do you like one book better than another? Why? If you didn't, would you like to read it now?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Alfredo Cáceres
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Adventures , Family Stories ( Adoptees and Foster Kids , Siblings ) , Fantasy ( Monsters ) , Friendship
- Character Strengths : Communication , Curiosity , Perseverance , Teamwork
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown and Company
- Publication date : September 30, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 256
- Available on : Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : October 27, 2025
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