The Sixty-Eight Rooms

Gr 4—6—Take a key from Alice in Wonderland, add a night at the museum from The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and lace it with time travel. That's the adventure waiting sixth grader Ruthie and her friend Jack when they visit the Art Institute of Chicago on a field trip in Marianne Malone's tale (Random, 2010). Inside the institute sits the Thorne Rooms, 68 legendary miniature rooms each reflecting a different historical period. The magnificence of the rooms captures Ruthie's imagination. In her own simple life, she can only dream about such opulence. When Jack manages to get a backroom peek at the exhibit, he convinces Ruthie to go with him. That's when Jack discovers a magical key tucked into a corner of the floor. When Ruthie touches the key, she shrinks, allowing her to explore the Thorne Rooms. Ruthie and Jack discover that the rooms are much more than historical recreations—they are portals to the trials and tribulations of earlier times. The friends must conquer the challenges confronting them in the different eras or be lost in time. Their wondrous adventure, filled with twists and turns and blending fantasy with history and modern day problems, is sure to intrigue listeners. Cassandra Campbell's narration is spot-on, and her pacing will hold listeners' attention throughout.—Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL