The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World is a young adult novel by E.L. Konigsburg, who has won two Newbery Medal

Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...

s and one Newbery Honor. It was first published in 2007.

Plot summary

Amedeo Kaplan and his mother move from New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 to Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

. He is interested in their neighbor, Mrs. Zender, a one-time diva and retired opera singer. His interest in his neighbor leads to him becoming friends with his classmate, William Wilcox, who helps Mrs. Zender out in her house. The boys work together and tell stories. The boys' wish is to be the first person to find a lost treasure

Treasure

Treasure is a concentration of riches, often one which is considered lost or forgotten until being rediscovered...

. Amedeo has the urge to go to Mrs. Zender's house although he does not know why. The boys find a signed Modigliani

Amedeo Modigliani

Amedeo Clemente Modigliani was an Italian painter and sculptor who worked mainly in France. Primarily a figurative artist, he became known for paintings and sculptures in a modern style characterized by mask-like faces and elongation of form...

 in Mrs. Zender's stuff. Amedeo tells his godfather, Peter Vanderwaal, about it. Peter is preparing an art exhibition that has to do with World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The sketch reveals secrets about Peter's father during the German occupation of Amsterdam, Mrs. Zender's past, and how the two are related.

Reception

Angela Leeper, of Book Page, reviewed the book saying, "Each interlocking piece of this mystery produces an astounding puzzle that shows the importance of art, history, family and friendship. For middle-grade readers and younger teens, The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World is a true find!" Matt Berman, of Common Sense Media, reviewed the book saying, "This is clearly not for everyone, or even for most. Konigsburg not only writes about gifted children, she expects her experienced readers to be equally clever, to be comfortable with ambiguity and sophisticated vocabulary (or at least willing to look things up), and to be willing not only to read, but to think." Mark David Bradshaw, of Watermark Book, reviewed the book saying, "The interplay between these characters is subtle and absorbing, and Konigsburg does a masterly job of showing us that the biggest truths can’t just be dug up or dusted off—they can only be discovered by attempting to understand the crazy and amazing hearts of the people around us."

External links

• Washington Post