The Cabinet of Earths

Gr 4–8—Twelve-year-old Maya Davidson; her five-year-old brother, James; and their parents have moved to Paris from California while her father works on a research fellowship. Maya's mother, who is recovering from cancer treatment, has always dreamed of living there, so Maya tries to be positive in spite of feeling extremely out of place. As the siblings begin to explore the city, Maya sees a salamander-shaped doorknob that seems to move, meets a strange man with dark glasses, and is introduced to an almost-invisible cousin named Louise. With the help of her new friend Valko, she begins to learn about her family's secret past and their role as caretakers of the mysterious Cabinet of Earths and its magical glass jars. When James disappears, Maya has to use what she has learned and the mysteries that surround her to save her brother, escape her family's dark legacy, and try to find a new beginning. Maya's story opens slowly and then unfolds more and more rapidly as readers join Maya, Louise, and Valko in combining the clues they gather into an understanding of what the Cabinet of Earths is and its power of time. Maya is a fully realized character, well aware of her social awkwardness compared to her charismatic younger brother, and readers will be rooting for her to find her strengths and save the day. This unique fantasy will catch its audience's attention and leave them thinking about time, families, and immortality.—Beth L. Meister, Milwaukee Jewish Day School, WI