DaVinci’s Cat
UnCovered review by Alexa Zbieranowski, Librarian, ACLS Ventnor Branch
Still enjoying animal-themed stories from our summer program Tails and Tales? Here’s another one to try! Catherine Gilbert Murdock’s DaVinci’s Cat is a children’s historical fiction and time-travel mashup that transports readers back to Rome during the Italian Renaissance.
The story follows Federico Gonzaga in the year 1511. The 11-year-old Duke of Mantua is living in Rome as a “special guest” (a hostage) of Pope Julius II. Federico’s life in the papal palace is lonely until he discovers a friendly cat that appears out of thin air and vanishes again. He soon discovers that an unassuming closet is actually one of DaVinci’s contraptions that transports people (and cats) through time. Soon, Federico is pals with an art dealer from 1928 and Bee, the present-day daughter of art historians.
A paradox-free time travel story is no fun! Federico’s and Herbert’s deal to swap twenty-first century snacks for precious sketches by Raphael backfires. The time-space web becomes further entangled when modern-day Bee enters the scene. Bee has discovered a sketch that is her absolute twin—it must have been made by Raphael but it’s missing a signature. Federico and Bee become partners to solve the mystery of Bee’s artwork doppelganger and to prevent the growing rivalry among famous artists from changing history; Present-day lives depend on it.
DaVinci’s Cat is a charming combination of time travel, improbable friendships, and collaborative problem-solving. I would recommend this book as a read-aloud for the whole family, even grown-ups might appreciate the way Murdock weaves historical fact into a fun adventure. This book will definitely stir readers’ curiosity about Renaissance artworks—a peek at the paintings mentioned throughout helps the book come to life.
