The Most Marvellous Spelling Bee Mystery

A story filled with words to spell, great friendships and of course a mystery to solve. You will be turning the pages to find who wants the competition cancelled, and whether India and her friends can save the day.

Vicki Thornton, Magpies

With incredible insight into the lives of children, Deborah Abela has crafted an engaging, unputdownable story that weaves the lives of India, Holly and Peter together as well as the familiar faces of Rajish and Summer as they compete while trying to get to the bottom of some mysterious mishaps ... Being able to put yourself in the shoes of the characters is the most important way to ensure the page is turned to see what happens to them and Abela has the ability to do this in spades.

Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian, thebottomshelf.edublogs.org

Themes of friendship, confidence and self-belief, encouragement and overcoming insecurities, are the building blocks of this excellent, well-crafted middle grade novel. The fantastic characters sparkle with individual characteristics that endear them to the reader. Subtle emphasis is given to the importance of learning language and knowing how to use it well, which is what Deborah Abela has done with finesse.

Anastasia Gonis, kids-bookreview.com

This is a story that’s less about a spelling bee, and more about friendship, and standing up for one another, and most importantly standing up - and believing in - yourself.

Verushka Byrow, Reading Time

India is one of those great characters who wins your heart and stays with you . . . Kids who enjoy solving problems will relish this book. Kids who look for “something funny” will definitely find it here in Abela’s spot-on descriptions of life in our society, and adore the often slap-stick humour. Above all this is a feel-good story with a universal appeal, and I believe it will fly off library shelves.

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