Constable & Toop

Reach for this book when your child feels like they do not quite fit into the roles expected of them or when they are struggling to find their place within a peer group. It is an ideal choice for a middle grade reader who enjoys a touch of the macabre but needs a story that reinforces the value of their unique perspective. Set in a brilliantly realized Victorian London, the story follows Sam Toop, an undertaker's son who can speak to ghosts, and a ghostly bureaucrat named Constable. Together, they must solve the mystery of the Black Rot, a spiritual plague threatening the afterlife. While the setting is gothic and spooky, the heart of the book is about bridging gaps between different worlds: the living and the dead, the eccentric and the traditional. It explores themes of loneliness and the unexpected strength found in teamwork. Parents will appreciate how the story uses its supernatural mystery to normalize feelings of being an outsider, ultimately showing that being different is often the key to solving the problems others cannot see. It is a sophisticated, humorous, and deeply empathetic mystery for ages 9 to 12.