Great historical fiction, thrilling but not in a scary way. The characters were heartwarming and the book was beautifully written, this story is shown from the lesser known perspective of Philias Fogg's assistant. A captivating tale!

“The Girl Who Raced the World” is a debut middle grade/childrens book from author Nat Harrison. Nat Harrison has extensively travelled and visited every continent but one and she puts her experience to paper here in a modern retelling of the Jules Verne classic “Around the World in 80 Days” aimed at younger readers.

I am not a younger reader and I have never read “Around the World in 80 Days” but I have a love of middle grade books beginning from falling in love with the works of Rick Riordan and being further reinforced by the wonderful Pages and Co series from Anna James breaking my post university slump and teaching me to love the magic of reading again. “The Girl Who Raced the World” does a good job emulating that feeling inside me again.

At its heart this is a fun, cosy adventure story that will bring joy to your heart and a smile to your face. Orphaned Maggie is following her dying mother’s last wishes to deliver a letter to Passepartout, actions that will change her life immeasurably! Little did she know that mere hours later she would be embarking on a journey around the world and a journey to discover love, safety, and her new home.

Chased around the world by Inspector Fix (who Maggie may or may not bite on her first introduction to), and racing against the clock to return to London within 80 days, the journey isn’t all sunshine and roses. There is a ticking clock to keep them on their toes but as Mr Phileas Fogg says, you have to take it one tick at a time. Their journey takes them to France, Italy, India, Hong Kong, Japan, and the USA on their route around the world and along the way they meet a colourful cast of characters, some delightful and some rather less so. There are daring elephant rescue missions, a mutiny on a ship, and one of the crew even finds themselves kidnapped by bandits in the old wild west. However the whole way through the central theme is Maggie finding love, finding family, and finding “aroha” as Maggie is taught by a delightful sailor in a time of great peril!

The author does a wonderful job creating characters, both those you come to love, and those you hate. Passepartout is one of those characters that will never fail to put a smile on your face. Jack, Valentine, and Tapu are just some of the delightful characters they meet on their journey around the world and in each one Maggie finds some form of home. Mr Phileas Fogg is more reserved in his affection but time and time again shows it and gives Maggie every reason to ignore the rumours of his potentially criminal past.

I am more tempted than ever to read the original now, however if I don’t get around to it then I am content in the knowledge that Nat Harrison has done a fantastic job bringing an old story into the modern day and introducing it to a younger audience.

I don’t usually read re-imaginings but The Girl Who Raced the World caught my eye and I’m very glad I requested it. Nat Harrison’s polished debut is undoubtedly a page turner with a cast of loveable characters and a cracking plot.
Magnolia (Maggie) Appleton is an orphan with nothing but a letter for the stranger, Passepartout, and her wits to keep her from the work house.
When Maggie’s mysterious letter is confiscated before delivery, she ends up joining Passepartout and his employer Fogg, in a race around the world, to win an outrageous bet.
But is Phileas Fogg a philanthropist or thief? With a bank robber on the loose, a detective in hot pursuit and danger at every turn, Maggie can’t trust anyone. And with secrets of her own, will she ever find a safe place to call home?
If you like excitement and danger and a twisty plot that keeps you guessing to the end, then Nat Harrison’s Girl Who Raced the World has it all.