Masterpiece (novel) facts for kids
Paperback Cover
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| Author | Elise Broach |
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| Illustrator | Kelly Murphy |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction, Children's Literature |
| Publisher | Christy Ottaviano Books, Henry Holt and Company |
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Publication date
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2008 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 304 |
| ISBN | 0-8050-8270-0 |
Masterpiece is an exciting book from 2008, written by Elise Broach and brought to life with illustrations by Kelly Murphy. It was published by Christy Ottaviano Books. This amazing story quickly became a favorite, winning awards like the 2008 Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year for Children’s Fiction and the 2009 The E.B. White Read Aloud Award. It was also named a 2009 ALA Notable Children's Book and even made it onto The New York Times Best Seller list!
People all over the world love Masterpiece. By 2011, it had been translated into many languages. These include Catalan, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Thai, and Turkish.
Contents
Discover the Story: What Happens in Masterpiece?
Masterpiece is a mystery novel for middle schoolers. It tells a thrilling tale about stolen art and tiny, hidden worlds. The story centers on an unlikely friendship. This bond forms between a very talented beetle named Marvin and a lonely eleven-year-old boy named James.
A Special Birthday Gift and a Secret Talent
The adventure begins when James gets a special pen-and-ink drawing set for his birthday. Marvin, the beetle, soon discovers something incredible. He can create tiny, super detailed drawings! He does this by dipping his front legs into the ink cap and drawing on paper.
James is mistakenly given credit for Marvin's amazing artwork. This mix-up quickly pulls both the beetle and the boy into a big adventure.
An Art Heist at the Museum
Their journey takes them to the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Here, they get involved with valuable masterpieces and clever forgeries. The main mystery revolves around a stolen pen-and-ink drawing. This drawing was made by the famous Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer.
Marvin and James are determined to get the stolen Dürer drawing back. They work together to solve the mystery.
Themes of Friendship and Doing What's Right
The book reminds readers of other classic stories. These include The Cricket in Times Square, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, and Charlotte's Web.
Masterpiece explores important ideas. It looks at the power of friendship and making sacrifices for others. It also makes you think about moral choices and doing the right thing. All these themes are woven into an exciting story about a high-stakes art theft.
