The Shadow of the Tudor Rose by Wendy Leighton-Porter

The Shadow of the Tudor Rose

Shadows from the Past Book 13

by Wendy Leighton-Porter.

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In 1588, a plot to invade England and overthrow Queen Elizabeth the First is about to unfold. At this crucial moment in English history, four visitors from the future arrive in Elizabethan London. Twins Joe and Jemima Lancelot, together with their friend Charlie and their talking cat Max, embark upon their next journey into the past as they continue the search for their missing parents who are lost somewhere in the mists of time.
Finding themselves at the heart of a web of conspiracy, can the young time-travellers solve the mystery of the Tudor Rose?

“This, the latest instalment in a series of time travel Shadow books, takes twins Jemima and Joe, their friend Charlie, and Jemima’s cat Max (who’s working on the sly for The Guardians of Time), back to Tudor England. Luckily for us they encounter just about every famous Elizabethan you can imagine, including Christopher Marlowe, Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth the First (“What do you mean, ‘the first’? There’s only been one!” is among the many gags). It’s packed with historical information of educational value for kids and it’s nice that a lesser known figure like Marlowe is given a fair crack of the whip in plot. It has humour, energy, and worthwhile historical grounding.”

RUBERY BOOK AWARDS 2019

“Author Wendy Leighton-Porter’s The Shadow of the Tudor Rose is a delightful addition to the Shadows from the Past children’s book series. When twins Joe and Jemima and their talking cat Max, travel in time along with their friend Charlie, they dive head-first into a pivotal time in history. Their plight is made all the more intriguing due to the mysterious circumstances surrounding their journey. With the Spanish Navy geared up to invade England and overthrow the queen, this group of friends must work together in a time and place entirely foreign to them. Meanwhile, there is a mystery to solve, and there is, of course, the ongoing quest to locate the twins’ parents who remain lost in time. With a well-developed cast of characters and a plot that sizzles, The Shadow of the Tudor Rose is recommended for home and school libraries.”

LITERARY CLASSICS BOOK AWARDS 2020

“What would you do if your parents were lost in time? Would you risk everything to find them? The Shadow of the Tudor Rose by Wendy Leighton-Porter is a sensational children’s historical adventure. The author has created such vivid characters, with every story chock-full of historical events and significance; the books are hard to put down once you start reading. I admire how she weaves history into every quest the children go on.”

READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK REVIEWS

“Once again, under the skilled pen of author Wendy Leighton-Porter, history comes to life! The dangerous intricacies and machinations of court intrigue, the enduring animosity between England and Spain, and the life of people in Elizabethan England are clearly laid out…

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to teachers as well as parents because there is so much interesting information, wrapped up in an exciting, suspense-filled package, to get young readers eagerly delving back into the past. Young and of course young at heart readers are in for an incredible treat.”

FIONA INGRAM, author of the Chronicles of the Stone series

Awards

One of the 15 Premier Finalists in the Chanticleer International Book Awards (Gertrude Warner award for Middle Grade Fiction), 2020.

Shortlisted in the Rubery Book Awards 2019 – one of the top six entries in the Children’s Fiction category.

Winner of a gold medal for best children’s fiction and a silver medal for educational books in the Children’s Literary Classics Book Awards, 2018

Silver award winner in the Nautilus Book Awards, 2018

A Word from the Author

The thirteenth adventure in the series takes three young time-travellers and their feline friend to Elizabethan London, amidst intrigue, plots and spies. Who can they trust and who is on the side of the enemy in the days leading up to the Spanish Armada? Still on the trail of their missing parents who are lost somewhere in the mists of time, twins Jemima and Joe Lancelot, together with their super-brainy friend Charlie and Max their talking Tonkinese cat, set out on another journey into the pages of history via the mysterious old book which is their portal into the past. When they arrive they are met by an undercover agent of the Guardians of Time, who has been told to expect them. He is looking out for Max, in particular, because the large cat has a vital part to play in this adventure. Although most unhappy to learn this, the reluctant feline hero rises to the challenge and turns out to be instrumental in solving the complex mystery of the Tudor Rose.

Several well-known historical figures feature in this story, including William Shakespeare and another Elizabethan playwright, Christopher Marlowe, who was also one of Her Majesty’s government spies. A touching friendship develops between the latter and Max as they work together to foil the plotters. Their final farewell is particularly poignant.

Among the darker aspects of the story, Max, as is his wont, also adds many touches of humour, bringing moments of light relief that ease the tension. These include being knighted by the queen for his role in recovering her stolen jewel, only to fall from favour soon afterwards – let’s just say that running off with her wig after mistaking it for a wild animal was probably not his finest hour!

As for the ongoing quest to find the twins’ parents, this adventure brings the youngsters to within touching distance of the missing adults, only to find that they’ve slipped through their grasp. It’s a heart-rending discovery, but one that fuels the children’s determination to continue with their time-travelling journeys until they achieve their goal. The next adventure beckons…

(Wendy Leighton-Porter, 2021)