Beneath the Swirling Sky pulls readers into the world of art and the journey of understanding the true reason for our gifts.

Strengths:
- My 9-year-old asked if there's a second book as we neared the end—a sure sign of a good book in our household.
- Appreciated the depth of characters woven throughout the narrative.
- Faith aspect incorporated throughout the book, but in a thoughtful manner.

Additional Notes:
- Opportunities to learn more about various artists, their creations, and techniques provide an interesting educational backdrop to the plot.

The premise of Beneath the Swirling Sky is fascinating -- but maybe it's just a little too close to the idea behind Pages & Co? I enjoyed the world-building as Vincent and Georgia traveled through paintings -- I could see this book being used as part of an art unit study or art history class. I certainly wished I had copies of the art next to me while I read! The illustrations are fantastic and add so much to the story. :)

I do wonder about the intended audience for The Restorationists -- some of the content seemed especially dark, but the writing style seemed like it was aimed at younger children. I probably wouldn't have felt comfortable handing it to my kids to read independently in elementary school, which seems like a missed opportunity. They'll enjoy it now even though they're older, and I'm sure we'll have some good conversations after they're done.

(Note: There's a LOT of lying and secret-keeping in this book, which really bothers one of my sensitive readers. And while I understand the desire for kid-centric plots, it annoys me when adult characters are inept or absent. I want my kids to come TO me -- or another safe adult -- when they have a problem, not hide it from me...)

I wish I had known going into the book that there would be overt Christian themes throughout the second half. I think it will catch some readers off-guard, since there's nothing about religion mentioned in the synopsis or the first part of the book. The specific storyline about Jesus in a painting surprised me -- and it actually left me wondering about the theology behind the scene. Could a *painted* image of Jesus actually save/heal Vincent? Are there multiple Jesuses in paintings interacting with other Travelers? Interesting to think about!

I'm interested to see where this series goes, and I'll very likely read the next one to see what happens to Vincent. I hope there's a redemption arc in his future, a la Peter from the Narnia series.

The Restorationists is a new middle-grade fantasy series penned by Carolyn Leiloglou. Siblings Vincent (named after Vincent van Gogh) and Lili (named after Lilias Trotter) are visiting their great-uncle Leo over spring break while their parents are on a cruise. Leo is an art conservationist and Vincent is convinced that his mother has arranged for him to "encourage" Vincent to paint. But Vincent wants nothing to do with art. When they arrive and meet Georgia, they are shocked to learn that she is their second cousin. As Vincent steps into Leo's house, he quickly realizes that avoiding art is going to be harder than he thought because every square inch of wall space seems to be bursting with art.

As Vincent and Lili were shown around, they were curious about areas that seemed to be "off limits." When Lili later goes missing, Georgia reluctantly explains that their families have the ability to travel through paintings. It's up to Vincent and Georgia to go after Lili and bring her safely home. Easier said than done. As Vincent is trying to wrap his mind around the whole alternate-world-within-a-painting scenario, Georgia is doing her best to explain how things work while also explaining how people have various giftings. Vincent realizes that everything he once believed about his life was only half-true. His parents had kept this whole Travel idea secret and now his ignorance may cost his sister her life!

There are enemies at work wanting to steal and destroy the greatest works of art. And the enemy is employing kidnapped children to do the dirty work--marring and distorting works of art. Youngsters are held in suspense wondering if Lili will be rescued and whether the evil mastermind behind stolen or vandalized art will ever come to justice. This would make a delightful read-aloud at home or at school. Children will learn a great deal about famous artists and their works (and the author includes a list of works referenced so that readers can research more about each. What a great way to experience art in a fresh way! I highly recommend this imaginative story with its allegorical elements and look forward to future books within the series!

If you'd like to engage more with the author, check out her website and discover more about this title and her others. You can also read a sample of the first chapter! This book can be pre-ordered prior to its release on September 12, 2023.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Beneath a Swirling Sky from NetGalley for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received and the opinions expressed are my own.

The last place that Vincent wants to spend spring break is with his great uncle in Texas. Vincent used to love art, but now he is convinced his mom sent him to his great uncle's for spring break specifically to fall back in love with art. Vincent's uncle restores art and is a Restorationist, something that Vincent still doesn't believe to be true. It's not until Vincent's sister LIli disappears into a painting that Vincent begins to believe that this world is real. Vincent and his Georgia must also travel through the paintings in order to rescue his sister. A fun middle grades story about finding oneself, bravery, and mystery. I really enjoyed this book and hope there are more in the series.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A well written imaginative book that offers some education on art history and the meaning and uses of art. This is all wrapped up in an exciting storyline. Suitable for all of the family to read, alone or together.

I have stated before how much of a weakness I have for MG books. Well, I also have an interest in art, and with my favorite artist being Van Gogh (and the cover of this book being based on Starry Night), my interest was very much peaked.

The story gave me everything I could have wanted. I have a very niche love of magic that deals with paintings, and this absolutely worked in that regard. However, the execution left much to be desired, sadly.

That is to say, I loved the story. Traveling through paintings, and the mythology of the villains vs. the heroes, and such. What I am not a fan of, and the reason I cannot recommend this book, is the use of homelessness as an insult (“she looks like a homeless person”), the lack of basic research outside of the artworks being mentioned (using CPU instead of NPC to refer to video game characters), and being judgemental about people modeling for art in the nude.

The nude model thing is complicated, but I want to clarify: had the author stopped at simply having her child protagonists be uncomfortable with the nudity and deciding not to look, I would have had no problem with it. I would probably even have expected it. It would have made all the sense in the world to me. However, including a note thats only point is to judge those who would model for art in the nude, in a book that is literally about art (and all older art at that), comes across as weird and problematic, and nearly makes me regret reading the book entirely.

Lastly, the story takes a very odd turn into Christianity, completely without warning. There’s nothing in the information that would indicate this was a Christian book, so it was fairly jarring, and didn’t really feel like it fit into the rest of the story, and also probably explains the author’s issue with nudity.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and WaterBrook & Multnomah for the early copy. This has been my honest review.

I recently received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, thanks to @netgalley, @waterbrookmultnomahkids, and the author - @housefullofbookworms !

The first thing that caught my attention was the cover. Starry Night has always been one of my favorite pieces of art, so I was hopeful it would be a good, easy read that I would enjoy. It did not disappoint! I loved how the author wove together all the facets of a good story & tried to keep any aspect of the artwork/museums as factual as possible! I didn’t look into the author until after I finished the book and was excited to find out she is also a homeschooling mama of 4. ❤️
The book is scheduled for publication on 9/12/23 - but I believe it’s already available for preorder!
(If you like giveaways - head over to @goodreads, search for this book, and enter to win a copy!)


#bookstagram #netgalley #beneaththeswirlingsky @waterbrookmultnomah @penguinrandomhouse #middlegradefiction #middlegradebooks

I’m so grateful to have received this ARC from Penguin Random House! I really loved the concept of Vincent and Georgia and their families being able to travel through paintings and having a mission to restore wonderful works of art. But I did feel like a lot was packed into this book that made it a bit hard to follow, including the paintings they would go through. I’m a very visual person when reading, so more illustrations would’ve been incredibly helpful in order to follow the story a bit better. However, I did enjoy the lessons that Vincent learned in this story such as being selfless and following your gut, I’d definitely love to read a sequel with the other kids that were rescued!

** “There’s a difference between making art and making a name for yourself. Making art focuses outside yourself, on the art itself and the people who will experience it. Making a name for yourself just focuses inward, on what the art can do for you.” **

Carolyn Leiloglou celebrates art and its power in “Beneath the Swirling Sky.”

When Vincent finds himself, along with his younger sister Lili, at his great-uncle Leo’s house while his parents go off on a cruise, he’s less than pleased. Especially when he also meets his quirky cousin Georgia, who’s enigmatic and frustrating.

But when his sister seemingly disappears through a painting, a skill Vincent didn’t realize his family has, he must rely on Georgia to help find her and bring her home. It seems his family comes from a long line of Travelers (“Traveling is stepping into a painting. Getting to walk around in the mind of an artist”) — trying to maintain the safety and purity of art from the Distortionists, who try to steal and destroy art.

Will Vincent and Georgia find Lili? Will they figure out who the mastermind is behind the evil they find within the artwork?

Leiloglou creates fun and quirky characters, all while filling “Beneath the Swirling Sky” with several great themes, like art expresses beauty and truth; being brave and selfless; fear shouldn’t get to decide what we do; finding our potential; and Jesus sees our worst parts and still accepts us.

The talented Vivienne To adds fun illustrations to add to the story, which is due out Sept. 12.

Five stars out of five.

WaterBrook provided this complimentary copy through NetGalley for my honest, unbiased review.

A lovely adventure full of references, making it a great introduction to the world of art for young individuals who already have an inclination towards painting. However, I must admit to cringing upon encountering Nazis and Jesus brought together in a work where they weren't necessary, and that's a shame. While I understand that the author wants to address the Nazis, especially by portraying them as villains (though they don't play any role in the story... it wasn't necessary), I find it unfortunate to connect the hero's redemption to a religious icon when he could draw from within himself or find that revelation through the perspective of his fellow adventurers.

The story of Vincent and his cousin Georgia traveling through famous art pieces to rescue Vincent’s lost sister will keep readers turning the page. Plenty of twists and turns happen along the way, and readers might even learn a little art history. This book is a great read for middle grade kids.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. Vincent doesn’t think he is any good at painting so gives it up. But he finds himself along the way. It was neat to read how the paintings came alive when Vincent and Georgia entered them.

Beneath the swirling sky is a lovely story. The kids Vincent, Lili and Georgia have the greatest of adventures through art and crime and friendship and family. The story although finished is left wide open for the family to have many more adventures. A great read.

(This review was cross-posted from Goodreads:)

I received Beneath the Swirling Sky as an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I have a soft spot for middle grade, and I found Beneath the Swirling Sky to be a really sweet book. The author's love and appreciation for art truly shine through and I enjoyed the (perhaps literal) dive into the various pieces that are focused on. It was such a pleasure to recognize the artists referenced in the story and have the techniques they used highlighted in different scenes.

On the whole, I found Vincent, Georgia, and Lili to be charming and likeable. Vincent makes for a compelling protagonist and it was great to see him grow throughout the story. This book was truly a treat, and I'm glad I got to read it.

This is a cute, fast read. Vincent is a gret MC, despite being against all things releated to art the relationship with his sister is really lovely. Georgia is another character that added life and color to the storyline and I really enjoyed the interaction between Vincent and Georgia, but at some points in the story it feels that the main purpose of Georgia was to fill the holes of information, was a little annoying but still enjoyable. Definitely a great middle grade book worth reading.

This was a great debut Christian middle grade mystery that had the main characters travelling through famous artists' paintings, and learning about the purpose and meaning of creating art. With strong themes of family, good vs. bad, and artistic creativity this book was fast paced and enjoyable to read.

The main character Vincent and his sister Lily go and spend a week with their Uncle Leo as their parents are away on a vacation. When they arrive at their Uncle's house they discover that their cousin Georgia, whom they have never met, will be staying there with them too. Vincent is upset about having to stay there as his Uncle is an art restorer, and Vincent has decided that he wants nothing to do with art as he was told his art was not very good.

During the night, Vincent hears a sound down the hallway and goes to investigate. He finds that the door to a locked room that his Uncle told him to stay away from is open, and he goes in to find out who is in the room. Vincent is drawn to a painting in the room and is suddenly pulled into the painting revealing the secret that his family can travel through paintings. Georgia is already in the painting and tells Vincent that the family members who can travel through paintings are called The Restorationists. When his sister Lily goes missing the next day, Vincent and Georgia track Lily into a painting and go on an adventure to bring her back home.

I loved how the author gave examples of real classical art which drew me as the reader to research those paintings on my own to know more. Vincent's character growth throughout the book was relatable, and I appreciated how the author included how art can draw a person closer to God “For me, it’s art that does that - makes me feel closer to God, I mean.” The story has great world building, a captivating mystery and lovely illustrations.

I am looking forward to the next books in this series, and would definitely recommend this book not only for middle grade readers but anyone who likes art and fantasy.

Thank you to NetGalley and WaterBrook & Multnomah publishers for a copy of an eARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

BENEATH THE SWIRLING SKY is a must-read for middle grade students with an interest in art. The premise is super fun and clever. Vincent is a relatable and realistic main character. I especially enjoyed how he embarks on a quest to save his sister. His personal journey as an artist is very engaging as well. Even in a children's story like this, the author manages to dig deep in exploring the meaning of art and an artist's highest calling. The paintings are described beautifully and the sense of adventure is quite lovely. I look forward to more from this author.

I was provided with an e-galley of the book by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review, and these opinions are my own.

A great read for middle graders and anyone really interested in art and conservation. I thought this was a really unique premise with fantastical elements. Vincent is a relatable and likable MC and it is easy to root for him on his quest to save his sister. This book had a darker tone than I expected but I do not think this will be a problem for younger readers. Overall, very good.

I enjoyed this more than I expected too. The jumping in and out of paintings was a nice twist and showed some creative thinking and ingenuity.

It's been a long time since I read a middle grade title that I enjoyed as much as I did Beneath the Swirling Sky. This creative and whimsical story follows a pair of cousins whose family has the unique gift of being able to travel through paintings. Of course it's not all fun and games, and Vincent and Georgia discover this up close and personal when Vincent's young sister Lili is kidnapped inside a painting, and it's up to the two of them to rescue her and stop the villains in the process.

What follows is a tumultuous journey where our two protagonists will have to face their fears, discover who they're truly meant to be, and find their rightful place in their family's destiny. With well developed, three dimensional characters, an innovative world built upon the history of many beloved art pieces, a wonderful plot that keeps the reader engaged throughout, and beautiful illustrations that truly bring the story to life on the page, Beneath the Swirling Sky is an innovative, original story that I can't possibly recommend enough.

As someone who studied art history a bit in college, I loved how central the history of many art pieces is to the story, and I found bits and pieces that I didn't know about before choosing to pick this one up. While there is a brief content piece of talking about "nude art", I thought it was handled tastefully, and shouldn't be enough to be off putting for any young readers.

Most of all however, I loved the fact that there's a brief faith element included that I wasn't expecting, and it was beautiful and showcased such a wonderful and authentic redemption arc.

Final Rating: 4/5.

This is definitely a winner in my eyes, and I'm looking forward to continuing on with the next title in the series. I'm especially hopeful that certain plot points that were introduced in this one will be continued on in the next one. If you're looking for an adventurous middle grade with superb world building, then this is definitely the book for you.

Thanks so much to Waterbrook for allowing me to advance read and review this one!

I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary advance reader copy of this novel from the publisher (Waterbrook) via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, and this is my honest review.