Ariana Wilder Wilder itibaren बरजांगसर, राजस्थान 331411, भारत
This is a wonderful story that is part fairy tale, part fantasy, and part history. A very clever blend of my three favorite genres. The fact that it is set in a real place and time made it feel like it really could have happened. (It was based very loosely on the court of Rudolf II in the late 16th and early 17th century Prague.) I loved the characters and thought they were well developed. The story is complex enough for middle to high schoolers, but elementary students won't get lost in overly involved plots or vocabulary. My thanks to the author for keeping it under 300 pages! Just enough details to keep the story moving along at the perfect pace for it's intended audience. Petra is a believeable heroine, as are her friends Tomik and Neel. Iris, the acid oozing dye maker, is entertaining. But my favorite by far is Petra's pet tin spider Astrophil. I look forward to the sequels.
I learned a ton about Renaissance artists and artwork. Also a bunch of life back then, as well as fashion and style of Florence, Italy during the late 1500s to early 1600s.