Erin's review:

I particularly LOVED this book but I will say one thing ,at first I didn’t like the look of this book. I read about a quarter of it and I didn’t like it but it hooked me and that's why I carried on . Oh and the names in ,FANTASTIC they were absolutely brilliant I mean Eliza, Arrebela, Edie wow . I did not have a favourite character but I did especially like Edie, Rosie and Charlie because they would never give up hope . I did learn a bit about what kind of jobs there were and a little about money in Victorian times. The most interesting thing about the period was how they would travel around . I did really like the plot mostly because I liked how there were two problems with two “villains”and I liked how the two problems were happening to two diferant people but they both helped each other to overcome the problems . The thing for me that stood out the most were the “heroes / villains” because you could see right through them and I liked that . I would most certainly recommend this to all of my friends ! I did learn some things like different words or phrases. So that is why The Steam Whistle Theatre Company is an incredible,remarkable and extraordinary book !

Grace's review:

I really enjoyed reading this book, it taught me about the dilemmas people faced in the past and how they coped with them. The character that stood out the most to me was Edie because she was a girl just a few years younger than me and she had so many responsibilities and she still managed to do everything so perfectly. My least favourite character was Mrs Snicket (Little Baby Bubbles’ mother) because she had gotten a kitchen boy to do all of her dirty work for her and tried to ruin the Steam Whistle Theatre Company’s business- she also spoilt Little Baby Bubbles and let him do whatever he pleased. Part way through the book, I felt empathy for some characters because of the struggles of living and sacrifices they had to make. It was quite interesting because it shown me how hard it was to live without modern things or technology and how they coped with things. I liked the fact that there were 3 different story lines going on throughout the book, it had shown me the different interpretations of everything, and I saw things different ways.

I would 100% recommend this book to other students and staff, it was awesome!

Isaac's review:

The time period (Victorian Era) was cleverly set as the characters kept making reference to things that were happening in society and to Queen Victoria who was the reigning monarch. It also highlights the major inventions from that era, such as the steam train and through the theatre company provided examples of what made everyday entertainment during that time period. The book also describes the poverty faced by the main family which was faced by many during this era.

Which was the most interesting character?

Pa Pringle because he was constantly quoting Shakespeare and insisted on remaining ‘in character’ at all times. He was a very theatrical man and entertaining.

Baby Bubbles and his mother were not attractive characters as Baby Bubbles (who was actually 8) was constantly demanding food and his mother regularly stole gold and other riches from people’s pockets.

My thoughts on the book

I thought the book was very cleverly written because it was unpredictable. For example at one point in the book it looks as though everything is going to work out well but then things start to go downhill. I love the sense that the book is based around a family who are trying to make enough money to reunite the family as it increases the reader’s understanding of the poverty during this era but this is done in a careful manner so as not to upset the reader.

When I started the book I found it quite boring at first as there was a lot of scene setting and did not grab my attention until they arrived at Uncaster. I prefer books that start immediately with drama so had to persist with this one. I would recommend it…once you get past the first 63 pages!

Vivian's review:

I found that the most interesting character in this book was Edie Boiler. She was the only servant who remained with her mistress when she didn’t have enough money to pay. She is very loyal to her friends, and she is always kind and cares about people.

I didn’t like the two children of the landlady. They were spoiled and deceitful. They blame their mother for everything and never ask to help. When their mother is in difficulty, they leave her to go and live with their aunt, and it is only when she is okay again, that they come back.

I didn’t learn much that I didn’t already know. It was a very good book, but there are not many historical facts. We learn a bit about the different lives people led in those times. It is set in Victorian times, and it is about theatre, and both of these subjects interest me greatly. I enjoy the different ideas they have, and the resemblances there are these days.

The plot of the book was very exciting in different ways. It is exciting and interesting. The story includes all the different classes there were (upper-class, middle-class, working class…). In the book, all these levels of society help each other, and we discover that they are all quite similar. It was serious, but also amusing in certain areas. What stands out the most in this book is all the different personalities of the people included. Some of them are kind, some are mean, some are clever and witty, and some are strict but kind-hearted. All of the different stories are brought together in one big one.

I would definitely recommend this book to other students. It is very interesting, and quite an easy read. I learned some things about the different forms of people that existed and other people would find it very interesting as well. I didn’t learn many new facts or words in this book. It was quite an easy book to read, so there weren't many new words.