Young adult book stumper
Hello all, I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was *not *from Gary Blackwood's *Shakespeare Stealer *series. Some other details she believes she remembers: - The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. - She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name *may *have started with an N. - The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow. I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time! -- *Colleen Kingsbury* Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library 223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170 734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/>
This has the N named main character and Elizabeth aspects so maybe this one? Emma Clemons Southfield Public Library Youth Dept Intern Get Outlook for iOS<https://aka.ms/o0ukef> ________________________________ From: Michlib-l <michlib-l-bounces@mcls.org> on behalf of Colleen Kingsbury via Michlib-l <michlib-l@mcls.org> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2024 11:22:58 AM To: michlib-l@mcls.org <michlib-l@mcls.org> Subject: [EXTERNAL][Michlib-l] Young adult book stumper Hello all, I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was not from Gary Blackwood's Shakespeare Stealer series. Some other details she believes she remembers: * The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. * She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name may have started with an N. * The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow. I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time! -- Colleen Kingsbury Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library 223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170 734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org<http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/>
This might be an option, *The Course of All Treasons* by Suzanne M. Wolfe [image: image.png] https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/612114/the-course-of-all-treasons-b... Main Character is named Nicholas, "Nick" and he's an Elizabethan Spy, don't know if he joins the company of Shakespeare though. Hope this helps! On Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 11:26 AM Colleen Kingsbury via Michlib-l < michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:
Hello all,
I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was *not *from Gary Blackwood's *Shakespeare Stealer *series.
Some other details she believes she remembers:
- The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. - She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name *may *have started with an N. - The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow.
I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time! --
*Colleen Kingsbury*
Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library
223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/> _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@mcls.org https://mail3.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
-- *Elizabeth Dekkinga | Assistant Director | Fremont Area District Library* Address:* 104 E. Main St. **Fremont, MI 49412* Phone:* (231) 924-3480* *“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ~ C.S. Lewis*
Could possibly be *The Devil and His Boy* by Anthony Horowitz, an author famed for writing a long-running series of spy novels for Tween/YA readers, the first handful of which were published in the early 2000s. Queen Elizabeth apparently plays a key role. However, the protagonist's name is Tom. [image: image.png] *Toni Lea Isom (they/them/theirs)* Youth Services Librarian Assistant Adrian District Library 143 East Maumee Street Adrian MI 49221 tisom@adrian.lib.mi.us On Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 11:24 AM Colleen Kingsbury via Michlib-l < michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:
Hello all,
I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was *not *from Gary Blackwood's *Shakespeare Stealer *series.
Some other details she believes she remembers:
- The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. - She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name *may *have started with an N. - The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow.
I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time! --
*Colleen Kingsbury*
Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library
223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/> _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@mcls.org https://mail3.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
I believe an answer has been found, thank you friends! Shoutout to Kate at Brighton, Cathy at Highland, and Theresa at West Bloomfield for all sending Dangerous Times by L. Britney <https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1039864.Dangerous_Times> along. On Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 11:22 AM Colleen Kingsbury < ckingsbury@plymouthlibrary.org> wrote:
Hello all,
I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was *not *from Gary Blackwood's *Shakespeare Stealer *series.
Some other details she believes she remembers:
- The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. - She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name *may *have started with an N. - The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow.
I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time! --
*Colleen Kingsbury*
Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library
223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/>
-- *Colleen Kingsbury* Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library 223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170 734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/>
NICE!! Also: who knew this was such a hot subject in early 2000s kidlit??? *Toni Lea Isom (they/them/theirs)* Youth Services Librarian Assistant Adrian District Library 143 East Maumee Street Adrian MI 49221 tisom@adrian.lib.mi.us On Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 11:56 AM Colleen Kingsbury via Michlib-l < michlib-l@mcls.org> wrote:
I believe an answer has been found, thank you friends! Shoutout to Kate at Brighton, Cathy at Highland, and Theresa at West Bloomfield for all sending Dangerous Times by L. Britney <https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1039864.Dangerous_Times> along.
On Fri, Aug 16, 2024 at 11:22 AM Colleen Kingsbury < ckingsbury@plymouthlibrary.org> wrote:
Hello all,
I could use a little help from the librarian hive mind! A patron approached me with a book stumper yesterday, and I've had no luck searching on my own. She is looking for a book she checked out from her high school library (so we're looking at a 2011 or earlier publication date) about a boy who works as a spy and joins Shakespeare's play company. It was historical & spy fiction without any magical elements, and she remembers a section at the back of the book with spy codes. She insists this book was *not *from Gary Blackwood's *Shakespeare Stealer *series.
Some other details she believes she remembers:
- The book had a red cover, and prominently featured the protagonist (potentially holding a sword) -- she described the cover as having a very quintessentially 2000s design. - She believes the main character was an orphan, and his name *may *have started with an N. - The story takes place in London and Queen Elizabeth plays into the plot somehow.
I appreciate any potential leads, and thank you for your time! --
*Colleen Kingsbury*
Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library
223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/>
--
*Colleen Kingsbury*
Teen Services Librarian, Plymouth District Library
223 S Main Street | Plymouth, MI 48170
734-453-0750 ext. 271 | plymouthlibrary.org <http://%20www.plymouthlibrary.org/> _______________________________________________ Michlib-l mailing list Michlib-l@mcls.org https://mail3.mcls.org/mailman/listinfo/michlib-l
participants (4)
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Colleen Kingsbury -
Elizabeth Dekkinga -
Emma Clemons -
Toni Lea Isom