Da Vinci's Cat

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

Newbery Honor author Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s Da Vinci’s Cat is a thrilling time-slip fantasy about rewriting history to save the present. Two unlikely friends—Federico, in sixteenth-century Rome, and Bee, in present-day New Jersey—are linked through an amiable cat, Leonardo da Vinci’s mysterious wardrobe, and an eerily perfect sketch of Bee.In a starred review, Kirkus Reviews calls Da Vinci’s Cat “thoroughly charming.” This Indie Next Pick will engross fans of When You Reach Me and A Wrinkle in Time.

Federico doesn’t mind being a political hostage of the Pope, especially now that he has a cat as a friend. But he must admit that a kitten walking into a wardrobe and returning fully grown a moment later is quite odd. Even stranger is the man named Herbert, apparently an art collector from the future, who emerges from the wardrobe the next night. Herbert barters with Federico to get a sketch signed by the famous painter Raphael, but his plans take a dangerous turn when he hurries back to his era, desperate to save a dying girl.Bee never wanted to move to New Jersey. When an elderly neighbor shows Bee a sketch that perfectly resembles her, Bee, freaked out, solidifies her resolve to keep to herself. But then she meets a cat and discovers a mysterious cabinet in her neighbor’s attic—a cabinet that leads her to Renaissance Rome. Bee, who has learned about Raphael and Michelangelo as historical characters, never expected she’d get to meet them and see them paint their masterpieces.This original and compelling time-slip adventure by Newbery Honor author Catherine Gilbert Murdock is full of action, mystery, history, art, and friendship—and features one unforgettable cat.Includes black-and-white spot art throughout of Leonardo da Vinci’s cat by Caldecott Medalist Paul O. Zelinsky, plus an author’s note.