The Grandest Bookshop in the World

The children's book, The Grandest Bookshop in the World by Amelia Mellor was published last year. Set in Melbourne in the 1890s this is a fantasy set in Coles Book Arcade, a large bookstore established at 299 Bourke Street, Melbourne, in 1883 by E W Cole. 

The characters in this book are all members of the Cole family who are engaged in saving the book arcade from the evil Obscurosmith, Magnus Maximillan. To regain the book arcade the children must solve a series of puzzles set by the Obscurosmith and it soon becomes obvious that this magician does not believe in playing by the rules. The story is a race against time as the children seek and solve the clues left for them. Meanwhile the arcade is disintegrating around them and the bands on the rainbow are fading.

My nine year old grandson and I have been sharing the reading of this book and enjoying the magic and adventures of Pearl and Vally as they race against time to save the store and their family. 

The Grandest Bookshop in the World - information.

A number of books have been written about E W Cole and his book arcade including Under the Rainbow: the life and times of E W Cole and E W Cole: chasing the rainbow. 

A brief summary online can be found in Museum of Lost Things - Coles Book Arcade - and Timeout - The Completely True and Absolutely Bonkers Story of Coles Book Arcade.

This was one of three books on the shortlist for the CYA section of the ARA Historical Novel Prize - 2021 Historical Novel Society Australasia

Winner of the 2021 Australian Book Industry Awards - Book of the Year for Younger Children 7-12 years