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- 12-year-old cousins Vincent (V) and Georgia (G) enter a fantasy world, via real paintings (such as Starry Night) to rescue his kidnapped 6-year-old sister
- themes include: courage, not worrying about what others think, working together, the power of art to communicate truth, history appreciation
- convo: V has a cell phone and notable attitude problems (this improves over time), mentions relatives’ dying in a house fire and a massacre of many families, V mentions magic a handful of times but G says there’s no such thing, G has internet friends, multiple kidnappings
- religious elements:
- language: heck x2, stupid x3, gosh darn x1, shut up x1, a few instances of minor name calling
Type: chapter book
Ages: 9-12
Author: Carolyn Leiloglou
Illustrator: Vivienne To
This may sound funny, but because I read a whole lot more “old” literature than new, it always surprises me to encounter characters using modern language. Ha! It was fun to find a book my children could relate to personally–with words such as internet “trolls,” a “wiki” page, and the like.
For sensitive readers, the most intense element is probably the kidnappings. Many children are kidnapped (the boss lady calls it “rescued”) and are basically in a boarding school within the fantasy world. Between classes, gym time, and meals, they are locked in their individual rooms, all with transparent walls.
The overall message of the book is sure to inspire courage toward doing the right thing. Georgia once says, “Risking your life to help people and save art is kind of what being a Restorationist is all about….Of course I’m scared. But fear shouldn’t get to decide what I do.” This challenges Vincent, and his mindset/attitude improve greatly over time.
Vincent also has a really special encounter with Rembrandt’s painting of Jesus calming the storm. The author does this tastefully, not putting words into Jesus’ mouth but, instead, describing the heart change for our 12-year-old hero. It was well written.
Furthermore, her Author’s Note at the end is lovely, too. Though not a visual artist herself, Leiloglou argues that “the urge to create is one way we exhibit the image of God.” She also touches on various aspects of the story–museum security, nudity in art–as well as briefly shares how art was woven into her own life story.
Overall, if the above conversation points are manageable, this is a clean story for your middle grade readers. I look forward to reading more in the series one day and will link to those reviews from this post when I do!
