Secrets of the Purple Pearl by McKinnon, Kate

The greatest adventures start with secrets.

The Porch Sisters are in trouble.

It's summertime in Antiquarium, and everyone has flocked to the majestic lakeside Purple Pearl Hotel, including the Krenetics Research Association, a nefarious group of mad scientists. They haven't given up on resurrecting their fearsome leader, Talon Sharktūth, and now they're hot on the trail of the legendary Purple Pearl, a source of power that is rumored to be lost at the bottom of Lake Kagloopy.

But Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee are on to them, plus their mentor, Millicent Quibb, has a plan! Is it a good plan? Hard to say! But it does involve finding a mysterious creature called a Shrimpmaid, boiling the lake (and everything inside it), and retrieving the pearl before the KRA gets its evil hands on it!

While Millicent and the gang work together to prevent the second coming of Talon Sharktūth, the sisters discover more secrets than they bargained for--including where they came from and who they truly are...

This is one mad-science summer vacation they'll never forget!

Author: Kate McKinnon
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 09/30/2025
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.74lbs
Size: 7.88h x 5.62w x 0.95d
ISBN: 9780316555296
Audience: Ages 9-12

Review Citation(s):
Booklist 08/01/2025
Kirkus Reviews 08/15/2025

About the Author

Kate McKinnon is a #1 New York Times bestselling author, award-winning performer, and writer, who is celebrated globally for her work in film and television. Young readers will recognize her voice role as 'Ms. Frizzle' in The Magic School Bus Rides Again for Netflix. She recently played 'Weird Barbie' in Greta Gerwig's worldwide blockbuster hit, Barbie. The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science was her debut novel.