Sealed with a Secret

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Author(s)

Lisa Schroeder

Publisher

Scholastic

Genre(s)

Age Range

11+

Release Date

April 26, 2016

ISBN

9780545907347

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When Phoebe finds a beautiful antique at a flea market, she's not sure whether it's as valuable as it looks. But inside she discovers something truly amazing a letter written during World War II, from a young girl to her sister who's been evacuated from London. The letter includes a "spell" for bringing people closer together: a list of clues leading all through the city. Each stop along the way adds up to magic.

Phoebe is stunned. Not only has she found a priceless piece of history, the letter is exactly what she needs -- she's also separated from her sister, though not by distance. Alice leaves for university soon, but in the meantime, she wants nothing to do with Phoebe. They used to be so close. Now that Phoebe has this magical list, maybe she can fix everything! That is, unless she accidentally makes everything worse instead...

From the author of "My Secret Guide to Paris" comes an unforgettable trip through London, with secret treasures around every corner!

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4 reviews

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Adventuring in London

December 30, 2017 (Updated: June 29, 2026)

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4.0

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4.0

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Phoebe's sister, Alice, is getting older and they're no longer as close as they used to be. Phoebe wants nothing more than for things to go back to how they used to be when she and Alice did everything together. When Phoebe discovers a "spell" in a compact to bring two sisters closer, she decides it's her only hope to get the old Alice back.

Phoebe enlists the help from her friend Ned and they follow the clues that lead them all around London. It's an adventure to them and also their very own secret, but will it help her and Alice become friends again? That's the only thing Phoebe is worried about.

I loved that this book was about trying to rebuild a relationship with your sibling. It's true that as you grow older, there's that chance of growing apart. It happens before you even realize it and this story was all about being a sister and a daughter. The secrecy of it all made the story more intriguing, but it also teaches that secrets don't really remain hidden forever.

Final Verdict: This was an inspiring book about sisterhood and I would recommend it to those with siblings or who love adventure.

Bethany Wicker Top 10 Reviewer 934 reviews

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Can't get to London? This book takes you there!

April 24, 2016 (Updated: June 29, 2026)

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4.0

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This sequel to My Secret Guide to Paris finds Phoebe and her sister Alice back home in London following their adventures in Paris with Nora and Justin. Alice is pining for Justin and also making college plans-- she thinks it is a great idea to head to the states so that she is on the same continent as her "one true love"! Phoebe feels sad that her sister isn't paying as much attention to her, and they aren't as close as they used to be, so when she finds an antique compact with a letter folded inside of it, she holds out some hope that the "magic spell" it delineates is worth a try! She also hopes that the compact is worth enough money that it will help defray the cost of her sister's education, taking pressure off of her hard working parents. The letter is from a sister to her younger sister who was sent to live with another family during the Blitz. Phoebe sets off to follow all of the clues with her good friend, Ned, and has a lot of adventures, including tracking down the writer of the letter and visiting the woman, with her parents and sister in tow!

Good Points

I enjoyed the first book in this series, My Secret Guide to Paris, but since this one was much happier AND was set in London, I liked it even better! There were lots of good details about London landmarks, since the mystery hinged on objects that were hidden in various places. The fact that Phoebe and her friend Ned got to roam around London by themselves made it even better and gave it a nice A Little Romance vibe, and well as some very clever introduction to history.

In addition to an adorable cover, this had supportive parents, good friends, realistic problem with the sister. Since Alice is a few years older than Phoebe and concerned more about college than anything else, they aren't getting along. I think this is something that a lot of middle grade readers experience, but it is rarely covered in books. The fact that the parents run an antique store and take buying trips to Paris (where Phoebe met the characters from My Secret Guide to Paris) makes Phoebe's life seem exotic and exciting!

For readers who like travel books and light romance, this is an excellent choice for fun summer reading!