BETWEEN FLOWERS AND BONES

In this second series entry, a girl and her cousin try to solve a mystery as members of a secret society.

Georgia’s family are Restorationists; they have special Gifts that allow them to interact with paintings as part of a generational group charged with preventing their enemies, the Distortionists, from changing works of art into something malignant. Her cousin Vincent’s rare Gift as an Artist makes Georgia’s Navigation skills feel redundant, and in her struggle to prove herself, she makes a dangerous mistake that allows their estranged aunt, Adelaide, to find them. Adelaide blackmails them into stealing a valuable painting with the help of a young Indian Wanderer named Ravi, and the cousins’ only hope is to set aside their differences and learn to work to each other’s strengths. Georgia is a compelling, complicated character experiencing complex and changing family dynamics. Despite plenty of fast-paced action, the story has a gentle feel and offers mild suspense. The highly emotional kids are at times precociously wise and articulate. The abundant messages about morality, particularly the consequences of pride, are directly and indirectly rooted in Christianity. To’s whimsical illustrations add extra depth to the characters’ experiences. The wealth of art references provides great educational connections, and the author’s note provides interesting context for them; a list of referenced paintings is included. Vincent reads white; Georgia’s dad is implied white, and her mom is from Mexico.

A sweet and thoroughly researched story with a firm moral grounding.