The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World

Once again, a rather sophisticated children's novel. I found it hard to put down. It has much in common with From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler in that some children solve an art mystery. The holocaust connection was very well done.

E.L. Konigsburg's THE MYSTERIOUS EDGE OF THE HEROIC WORLD tells of Amedeo Kaplan, a new kid who has a secret dream: to discover some hidden treasure to make himself famous - and make a new friend to share his discoveries with. William is an aloof boy who is a loner and seems an odd friendship choice - but the two find themselves working on an odd mansion project and find themselves becoming involved in a long-kept secret revolving... Read Full Review

"The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World" is a companion piece to "Silent to the Bone" and "The Outcasts of 19 Schuyler Place." It stands on its own, but the three novels enrich and cross pollinate one another even though they are not "sequels" or "prequels." Because it involves an art mystery, it is also a descendant of Konisgburg's Newbery Award winning novel, "From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler." But... Read Full Review

I really love this book. Very impressive. Very funny and sad. I cried my heart out. I didn't want it to end. I want to recommend this book for those who love art, history, feminism, and truth. Not only for kids but also for grown-ups. The greatest book I've ever read. Definitely.

Having previously read Konigsburg's (outstanding) short stories in Throwing Shadows, I wasn't sure what to expect with this novel. However, by the end, I was blown away -- not just at how fascinating I found the story, but also how surprisingly poignant it was. It's a tough novel to sum up in a few sentences, but you won't be disappointed.