Under the Egg

Gr 3–6—In this fast-paced art mystery, 13-year-old Theodora tries to glean meaning from her recently deceased grandfather's last words about a letter and a treasure hidden under the egg. Her search leads her to an egg painting hanging in her grandfather's art studio. After accidently spilling rubbing alcohol and removing a layer of paint, Theo discovers a mysterious painting underneath the egg image. This discovery kicks off her quest for answers about the original artwork and leads her to the public library, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a church, an auction house, and the Center for Jewish History. At each location, Theo and her friend, Bodhi, enlist the help of experts to uncover the painting's history and discover its rightful owner. Jessica Almasy's narration perfectly captures each character's personality, and her use of different voices and accents ensures listeners always know who is speaking.