Cogheart

Published on 29 October 2024 at 14:58

Victorian era, Britain, London, mechanics, inventors, adventure, friendship

Cogheart

by Peter Bunzl

Key information

Author: Peter Bunzl

Illustrator: Becca Stadtlander

Release Date: 1st September 2016

Book type: Chapter, 368 pages, paperback

Star rating: ★★★★★

Reader level: Confident reader/ Content (8+)

Series: 1 of 4

Age: Year 4+

Overview

Cogheart is a Victorian adventure story that follows the journey of Lily, a young girl, and her mechanimal (mechanical animal) fox, Malkin through London to save her family. Lily's life has already been turned upside down one before when her Ma died in a fatal crash when she was very little. But now, her father is missing, suspected dead, after his airship crash-landed in the middle of nowhere under suspicious circumstances. 

 

Leaving Miss Octavia Scrimshaw's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies to return home, Lily is greeted by her loving mechanical family and her not-so-loving housekeeper, Madame Verdigris. After only a short time at home, Lily realises that Madame Verdigris has no intention of helping her to find her missing father, but is intent on stealing his groundbreaking research and the wealth he has left behind. 

 

Shortly after losing her father, Lily is reunited with Malkin who was rescued by Robert (a clock-maker's son) from two mirror-eyed criminals who pose a great risk to her and her family. Robert befriends Lily and, alongside Malkin, joins her on her mission to solve the mystery of the "Cogheart" - a unique (and valuable) piece of mechanical engineering constructed by her father before his disappearance. After following a trail of clues around London, it becomes clear that her father's creation is more valuable than she ever realised and that his sudden disappearance may not be a tragic accident.

 

As Lily continues to dig deeper, she discovers some heartbreaking truths about the people she once considered family. With people willing to do anything to get their hands on the Cogheart, Lily must use her wit, quick-thinking and determination to protect herself and her friends if they want to make it out alive.

 

Spoiler Alert and Content Warning

Lily learns that the Cogheart is not hidden somewhere safe, but was instead placed inside her when she was fatally injured in the crash alongside her mother many years ago. Since then, her father has kept this secret and her hidden from the outside world as there are many people who wish to possess the Cogheart themselves. This includes her Godfather who lures Lily into his home where Lily is shot and he attempts to remove the Cogheart and transplant it into himself.

 

In addition to this, Robert's father is killed in a housefire when two mirror-eyed criminals set the horologists on fire when attempting to find Lily and gain more information about the Cogheart. Robert therefore spends much of this story grieving for his father who he loved dearly.

 

Also, Lily's father returns at the end of the book, having been held captive by his ex-business partner who wants the cogheart. The book ends with a heart-racing battle between good and evil at the very top of Big Ben, resulting in the death of Lily's godfather as he plummets into the clockwork inside the tower. 

Key concepts/themes

  • Victorian London
  • Mystery 
  • Adventure 
  • Mechanics/engineering
  • Horology 
  • Friendship
  • Suspense
  • Criminals
  • Grief

Content warning

  • Death
  • House fires
  • Car crash
  • Plane crash 
  • Grief 
  • Guns 
  • Surgery 

Curriculum links

  • History - London, Victorian London, Victorian Era
  • Class Read - Year 5+

Additional teaching opportunities

1. Science/DT

- Zeppelins

- Mechanics

- Clockwork/horology 

 

2.  RSHE

- Grief 

3. Writing 

- Letter (Lily to father)

- Non-chronological report (what is a mechanimal/mechanical)

- Newspaper report (crash)

- Character description (mechanical heart)

- Setting description (Victorian London)

- Comparative writing (Victorian vs modern London)

Vocabulary 

This book contains plenty of powerful language and is a great teaching tool for tier 2 vocabulary! 

Some of the language is rather unusual in modern texts and fits brilliantly with the backdrop of the Victorian Era

Tier 2 Tier 3
fiendish, illicit, vague, disdainful, haughty, hulking, strewn Queen Victoria, mechiancal, zeppelin (zep), air station, porter

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