May 1, 2023
In this quick-moving adventure from collaborators Schwarz and Palmer (Romeo, Juliet & Jim), a rare text sparks a treasure hunt for an American middle schooler in Paris. Visiting the City of Light for the summer with his physics professor mother, Owen Godfrey, who has asthma and cues as white, is roped into attending a seminar on Jules Verne. When an unknown tween steals his copy of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea just before a test, he searches for a replacement in a nearby bookstore. The massive old book he buys, La Prophetie de Jules Verne, doesn’t have what he needs, but it turns out to be a clue-riddled quest offering “keys to adventure, wonder, and possibly treasure.” Owen and his new friends—privileged French classmate Rose Bordage and fellow skateboarder and would-be DJ Nas Shirvani, a French scholarship student of Libyan descent—must decipher clues and undergo challenges to discover long-hidden secrets, and stay one step ahead of the ruthless people determined to claim Verne’s legacy for themselves. Highlighting Verne’s classic stories alongside Paris’s history and iconic locations, the creators give the three friends ample chemistry as they race around the city by various thrilling means, bonding over their escapades in this energetic thriller. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 10–14. Agent (for Schwarz and Palmer): Fonda Snyder, Alchemy Ink.
May 1, 2023
Grades 5-8 Jet off to Paris and the peculiar world of Jules Verne fanatics in this fun middle-grade adventure set against the backdrop of a summer class dedicated to the famous sf writer. Owen, an American kid, is spending the summer in Paris, but after a very old book falls on his head, he and his friends Nas and Rose get sucked into solving the mystery of a prophesy left by Verne himself and finding what treasure he left for future readers. The plot engagingly explores some Parisian landmarks and draws the readers into Verne's world. Owen's American antics are perfectly juxtaposed with those of his friends, who offer their own lived experiences as resident Rich Kid and a Libyan living in France. Full of larger-than-life twists (including a kidnapped parent, evil schemes, and police chases) this novel perfectly pairs real-life city adventures with a literary puzzle for the ages. Fans of puzzle games, fast-paced adventures with short chapters, and movies like Uncharted will devour this book.
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