"An endlessly inventive smorgasbord of fun, Millicent Quibb reads like a collab between Edward Gorey and Kurt Vonnegut: hilarious, proudly strange, and slightly twisted, with real humanity and a ton of sweetness at its heart."--Ransom Riggs, #1 NYT bestselling author of the Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children series
"Fiercely feisty and unapologetically goofy."--Kirkus
"McKinnon celebrates weirdness in this ludicrous and unpredictable female-centered romp... Ink drawings by Cáceres give vivid life to the amusing absurdity of this over-the-top, 1911-set tale where Pastramibirds fly and monstrous sharp-toothed worms have hankerings for bichon frise."--Publishers Weekly
"Brimming with imagination and wit--what a wonderful heart-racing read!"--N. E. Bode, author of the Anybodies trilogy
"Kate McKinnon's middle-grade debut is a tour de force of wild invention that offers a trio of science-mad (or mad scientist?) sisters and a backstage peek at how stories work. If you're wondering if it's funny--as in, Kate McKinnon funny? Belly-laugh, mind blown, did-she-really-just-say-that funny? Yes! It is that funny."
--Maryrose Wood, author the Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series
"This book is just like a mad science experiment: terribly mysterious, surprisingly smelly, potentially explosive, and a whole lot of fun. I recommend it to mad scientists and mad readers alike. Everyone will love this book. Unless, of course, their name is Lavinia.--Pseudonymous Bosch, New York Times bestselling author of the Secret Series and the Bad Books
"It comes as no surprise that Kate McKinnon writes with the same unique sense of humor and heart that has made audiences fall in love with her time and again. Her quirky and unforgettable characters in The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science will have readers laughing out loud and plotting experiments for many generations to come."--Chris Colfer, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Land of Stories series
"It's no surprise this book made me laugh out loud--after all, it's written by Kate McKinnon! But I was also delighted to meet this fantastic cast of clever characters and to be drawn into a mad, mysterious world that reminded me, in all the best ways, of the stories I most loved growing up. (And love even more now.) Kids will eat this up! Unless a ravenous worm eats them first! Give them this book and a decent head start!"
--Trenton Lee Stewart, New York Times bestselling author of the Mysterious Benedict Society series and The Secret Keepers
"The narrator, one G. Edwina Candlestank, is at turns conversational, dramatic, and flippant, but always engaging...Hand this to any young student (and sci-fi fan) trying to find their place in their community."--School Library Journal
"This book upsets me. It frightens me. I cannot wait to read it again."--Lemony Snicket, New York Times bestselling author of the Series of Unfortunate Events series
"McKinnon's debut combines madcap adventures with imaginative worldbuilding and charming characters, all enhanced by illustrator and comic book artist Alfredo Caceres's endearingly creepy illustrations. Fans of Lemony Snicket and Pseudonymous Bosch should enjoy McKinnon's wordplay and humorous footnotes, and a cliffhanger ending will likely leave readers eager for more hijinks."--Shelf Awareness
A #1 New York Times bestseller
One of Audible's top 10 best kids listens of 2024
Longlisted for the 2024 OWL Awards (The Outstanding Works of Literature)
An Amazon Best Book of 2024 for ages 9-12
An NPR "Books We Love" 2024 best books of the year feature
AnAssociated Press, 2024 Holiday Gift Guide feature