Ella at Eden: The Missing Piece by Laura Sieveking

Title: Ella at Eden: The Missing Piece

Author: Laura Sieveking

Genre: Mystery

Publisher: Scholastic Australia

Published: 1^st July 2024

Format: Paperback

Pages: 192

Price: $15.99

Synopsis: The Eden College musicians have been given an amazing opportunity to play in a concert at the Sydney Opera House! Not only will they be on a world-class stage, but they will also get to play with real musicians, including the renowned violinist Allegra Novic. But when Allegra’s priceless violin goes missing, Ella finds herself in the centre of a criminal mystery. Can Ella crack the case with the help of some special, international friends?

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Ella and her friends are off to Sydney with their friends from Crestwood Hall – who have come all the way from London to play at the Sydney Opera House! They’re in a world class concert with professional musicians, but first they have to contend with Crestwood Hall student and music prodigy, Nadia, who thinks she’s the bees knees and has a mother who thinks her daughter is better than everyone else. Even renowned violinist Allegra Novic. Everything is going well – until Allegra’s violin goes missing and Ella and her friends are determined to find it.

The latest Ella at Eden book takes us on a grand adventure to an Australian icon, celebrating the arts and music. Ella has tried her hand at so many things across this series, from the newspaper to gymnastics, to horse riding and acting. And now, a big musical performance! Like all Ella at Eden books, there is always a bit of a mystery to solve, but this time, things might need to take a different turn as Ella and her friends investigate, and a sinister figure is hanging around. But everyone is a suspect…right?

The school year is drawing to a close in this book, following on from the previous one. And each one has had a little problem to solve, something that brings Ella and her friends into the world, whilst showing that sometimes, rules definitely do need to be followed. Ella and her friends are allowed to be kids though and allowed to make mistakes, and learn from them. Which I think is the important thing about these books – allowing the characters to learn from their mistakes, because sometimes, that is the best way to learn. The Missing Piece shines a light on being welcoming and understanding, and what it means to see what someone else might be going through, and why they act the way they do. At least for some of the students from both schools, and how they come to understand each other or build deeper friendships.

Ella and her friends are delighted to see Sara and Archie again, taking them on a tour of Sydney in addition to playing in a concert with them. It’s a story about unity as well, and finding joy in hobbies and school activities that celebrate being part of something unique, finding your voice and discovering what you are good at. This series always has something good and something not so good going on in each story, whether it has been something missing, someone getting hurt, or another issue that the school has to deal with. Like the other books, this one reflects what can go on at a boarding school.

I like that it takes the traditional boarding school stories tropes and plays with them in a contemporary setting without having to rely too much on modern technology, showing that there are ways to entertain yourself and learn without using devices all the time. It’s refreshing to see this in kids’ books sometimes – because I think children need books that reflect their world in a myriad of different ways, to show that everyone has a different experience, and not everyone has the same access to things. It is books like this that showcase the diversity of experiences, interests and people that can help children see the world around them in a variety of ways. This was a nice addition to the Ella at Eden series, and I am looking forward to seeing where else it will go from here.