Catherine Murdock
Greenwillow, 2021
288 pages
Grades 4-7
Historical Fiction/Fantasy
Federico is a young nobleman, held as a political prisoner by the pope in sixteenth century Rome. Though not free to return home, he is welcome to come and go at will around the grounds, making friends with many of today's well-known Renaissance artists. One day to his surprise a man in strange clothes with an unfamiliar accent pops out of a mysterious wardrobe crafted by Leonardo Da Vinci accompanied by a cat. Federico makes friends with both man and animal and is sad when they return home via the same wardrobe. The man returns the next night, only to seek a signature from the famous Raphael on a sketch of a mysterious teenager said to have been created by the master. Meanwhile, present day Bee has moved to New Jersey and experiences a very strange encounter with the old lady next door, who seems to know her. When Bee discovers the wardrobe in the lady's attic, she travels in time and meets Federico. The two become friends and work together to get the coveted signature, preserving the chain of events in order for Bee's world to be untarnished. All hinges on the scruffy Michelangelo. Can two young people and a time traveling cat pull off the tricky scheme?
Newbery honor winner, Murdock, follows up The Book of Boy with another middle grade novel from the far past, this time leaving the Middle Ages for the Italian Renaissance. As before, she perfectly captures the mood and voice of the time and transports her audience to the Renaissance. Readers will enjoy seeing the human side of these great painters (I know I did!) and may be encouraged to learn more about their work. The time travel element brings another dimension to the tale and will draw modern readers into the story and make them feel more at home. The cat from the title is a minor character, yet serves to bring both timelines together, as he travels freely between both times and is the connecting thread. What is it about wardrobes that they are such a trusted vehicle for time travel? Maybe because they are contained and can hold a full person. Folks always seem to hop dimensions through either a wardrobe or a phonebooth. Regardless, I love the concept of time travel and find that young people do as well. This book will make their imaginations soar and dream about where they would like to go, given the chance. Adventure, fantasy, history, art, and gentle humor all rolled up in one carefully constructed package.
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