Masterpiece

Marvin lives with his family under the kitchen sink in the Pompadays apartment He is very much a beetle James Pompaday lives with his family in New York City He is very much an eleven-year-old boyAfter James gets a pen-and-ink set for his birthday Marvin surprises him by creating an elaborate miniature drawing James gets all the credit for the picture and before these unlikely friends know it they are caught up in a staged art heist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art that could help recover a famous drawing by Albrecht DxFCrer But James cant go through with the plan without Marvins help And thats where things get really complicated and interesting This fast-paced mystery will have young readers on the edge of their seats as they root for boy and beetle In Shakespeares Secret Elise Broach showed her keen ability to weave storytelling with history and suspense and Masterpiece is yet another example of her talent This time around its an irresistible miniature world fascinating art history all wrapped up in a special friendship-- something for everyone to enjoyMasterpiece is a Bank Street - Best Childrens Book of the Year.