WILLIAMSBURG — Wendy Neugent grew up visiting Colonial Williamsburg, and upon graduation from college, she made it her first home.
“I’m originally from upstate New York. When I graduated from college, I moved down to Williamsburg and just started applying for jobs, because ever since I was a little girl, I had always wanted to work at Colonial Williamsburg,” Neugent explained.
Starting as an interpreter at the John Greenhow Store, Neugent worked her way up to become a visitor aid and eventually served as a lantern tour guide.
“I absolutely loved my time there. There’s part of me that always wishes that I could stay there because it was just such a neat thing to do,” Neugent said.
With the same love for history she had during her Colonial Williamsburg days, Neugent sought a way to pass that love on to younger children. That’s when the “History Detective Club” was born.
The “History Detective Club” is a series of books for middle-grade readers relating to the American Revolution. It follows Rose, a young girl, and her experiences being transported back in time to the 1700s. Each book features daring missions and secret codes, alongside characters who must make extraordinary choices while uncovering mysteries hidden in history.
“I was leading lantern tours, and I got done at like 10 o’clock at night. There was a guy who worked there, and he was in his colonial outfit. He said, ‘good evening, my lady,” and I just instantly felt transported back to the 1700s like Rose is,” Neugent said.
From the Boston Tea Party to celebrating the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Neugent says the stories help make history real for kids.
“I really wanted to capture that magic in a bottle that Williamsburg is. Whether kids can come to Williamsburg or not, they can read these books and feel like they’ve walked the streets and experience it in that way,” Neugent said.
Neugent added the books are ideal for kids who enjoyed the “Magic Tree House,” “American Girl,” or “I Survived” book series. Alongside the books, Neugent also created a historical curriculum that aligns with what each book teaches.
Overall, Neugent hopes that the books help bring kids a new perspective on history.
“How many people do you know that don’t like history? They have a preconceived notion that they don’t like history but a lot of times what you don’t like is the way that history is being taught. Everyone has had that history teacher that makes you just memorize dates but when you find those personal stories that are tied into history, that’s when history really sticks,” Neugent said.
Book five and six of the series will be released later this year. To learn more or to order the book series, visit wendyneugentbooks.com.