The Theft & the Miracle
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- $1.99
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- $1.99
Publisher Description
On a cold, rainy day, ordinary Hannah Price stumbles into the cathedral and does something extraordinary—almost in a trance, she makes a perfect drawing of an antique carving of the Virgin and Child, capturing their every detail.
The next day the statue of the Child is taken from the Virgin's arms, and a few days later Hannah is interviewed by the police. Soon, strange things start happening to her. An odd man keeps appearing. The portrait she painted of her best friend, Sam, is vandalized. Is it all related to the theft? Hannah is determined to find the statue, even if it will take a miracle.
Rebecca Wade has crafted a thriller that will puzzle and provoke every reader until its stunning conclusion.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Wade's first novel part mystery, part fantasy centers on 12-year-old Hannah Price, who "noticed things other people didn't and... knew how to draw them." One afternoon, she gives her raincoat to a fellow classmate just as a sudden thunderstorm erupts. Hannah seeks shelter in a cathedral famous for its 14th-century wooden carving of the Virgin and Child. As she begins to sketch the sculpture, Hannah's fingers tingle and her pencil "traveled with complete assurance." When she leaves the church, Hannah begins to sense an unexplained presence watching over her. Soon thereafter the infant is stolen out of the arms of the Virgin. Hannah learns that a witches' coven plans to burn the sculpture on Dec. 24th, the statue's anniversary, and she falls for a trap set by the thief. The story moves quickly and Hannah's personal challenges (she's overweight and suffers from acne) make her an accessible heroine, but the reason for Hannah being chosen as the statue's protector remains unclear. This is a more sophisticated mystery due to its references to witchcraft and strong historical and religious overtones (the Black Death, the angel Gabriel). Readers with a keen key for clues will discover them throughout the story. Ages 9-up.
