In a city a lot like early-20th century New York, 3 teens lives are about to intersect and be changed forever: sold into slavery by his uncle in Italy, street musician Guiseppe finds a green violin that both leads him to imagine his freedom and towards a life-or-death struggle with his cruel padrone; orphaned clock-maker’s apprentice Frederick yearns to create a magnificent mechanical man that will allow him to make journeyman and hopefully forget the mother who abandoned him; and smart, strong-willed hotel maid Hannah is struggling to bring in enough money to support her family and find a cure for her father’s crippling illness. Soon each of them discover a secret that leads towards treasure: Guiseppe’s violin is magical; Frederick finds a clockwork man with a magical head; and Hannah learns of a fortune hidden somewhere in the posh hotel where she works. As each one faces mounting obstacles and adversities, they realize that if they join together, learn to trust each other and value their friendship, they can help each other solve the mysteries which are, in fact, interconnected.
Due out from Scholastic in Fall 2010, The Clockwork Three is an enchanting adventure story that will have readers eagerly turning pages to see how the puzzles are solved. Debut author Matthew Kirby has created 3 distinctly likeable, realistic characters who are smart, daring, and engaging. There’s craft, good editing, and thoughtfulness in Kirby’s prose and he imbues the book with a sense of magical realism that is both beautiful and visual; all of which combine to make the book enjoyable to read. He explores a lot of ideas, including the importance of friendship, overcoming adversity, and the impact of industrialization on both nature and people’s lives, in an age-appropriate (but not oversimplified) way that doesn’t come across as heavy-handed or take away from the mystery and the action of the plot. The Clockwork Three is a joy to read and will certainly be on my “recommended list” for this year.
- Posted by Cori