Published by SourceBooks
From the Publisher:
When Mira receives a cryptic postcard from her missing mother, she sets off with her father and brother to find her in Paris. Only Mira doesn't know she's looking in the wrong century.
With an innocent touch to a gargoyle sculpture on the roof of Notre Dame, Mira is whisked into the past. There she learns her mother isn't just avoiding the family, she's in serious trouble. Following her mother's clues, Mira travels through time to help change history and bring her mother home.
My Take:
I’m not a big fan of time travel books, but it was interesting to read about the historical events of the Dreyfus Affair from Mira’s perspective. I liked the details of life in Paris in a different time period. And since I love artwork by Degas, I especially enjoyed the parts where Mira visited his studio. There is a lot of history and politics in this book, and although these issues are nicely woven in to Mira’s hunt for her mother, some readers might find it a bit slow-paced. This book deals with issues of prejudice and anti-Semitism.
Favourite Quotes:
My favourite parts were about Degas’ sculptures:
“You could see the marks of fingers pressing into the clay but instead of looking clumsy, the handling gave the pieces an incredible energy, an urgency. One horse looked like it would leap off its base and gallop around the room.”
“It was so perfect that you’d swear the girl was breathing.”
Other Info:
Marissa Moss is an author and illustrator who lives in the San Francisco bay area.
On her website she says, “Each new book is still a challenge. It’s hard work and I love every
minute of it.”
Watch for an
interview with Marissa Moss about her writing process on this
blog on Wednesday!
Other books by this
author include:
Mira's Diary Home Sweet Rome
Barbed Wire Baseball
A Soldier's Secret: The Incredible True Story of Sarah Edmonds a Civil
War Hero
Amelia's Back-to-school Survival Guide
Amelia Amelia's Guide to BabysittingAmelia's Boy Survival Guide
The Vampire Dare [Daphne's Diary of Daily Disasters]
The Name Game [Daphne's Diary of Daily Disasters]
The Bravest Woman in America
Amelia's Summer Survival Guide
Amelia's BFF
Nurse Soldier Spy: The Story of Sarah Edmonds a Civil War Hero
Amelia's Cross-my-heart Hope-to-die Guide to the Real True You
Max Disaster 3 Alien Eraser Reveals the Secrets of Evolution
The Pharaoh's Secret [Amelia's Notebook Series]
Sky High: The True Story of
Maggie Gee
Amelia's Middle School Survival Guide
Max Disaster 1 Alien Eraser to the Rescue
Max’s Logbook
Amelia Writes Again
Amelia’s Notebook
…and many more!
For more info, visit Marissa Moss’s website.
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was dreamed up by the
amazing Shannon
Messenger, author of Keeper of the Lost Cities and Let the Sky Fall. Visit her blog for
an up-to-date list of all the bloggers who are participating and posting about
middle grade books today!
I've seen this around. It sounds good. My daughter used to enjoy her Amelia books. Thanks for sharing this.
ReplyDeleteI liked this book, too. Thanks for sharing it. Agree on some readers possibly finding it a bit slow in spots. The time travel was really well done as was the mystery of the missing mom. Lots happening in this one!
ReplyDeletep.s. odd place to ask this, but did you ever get your books? the payment went through paypal, I followed up with the publisher but never heard back. It was Nicole Lukien's series that you won.
I like time travel if there's a unique twist to it, and it sounds like this one has that with Mira looking in the wrong century...
ReplyDeleteCool premise! I love time travel.
ReplyDeleteI've read The Pharaoh's Secret, but that's the only title by Marissa Moss I've read. Can't believe how much she's written!