The Cabinet of Earths
By Mary Eisenhart,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
American kids find magical, creepy adventure in Paris.
A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this book.
Where to Read
Community Reviews
There aren't any parent reviews yet. Be the first to review this title.
What's the Story?
Thirteen-year-old Maya and her little brother, James, are reluctantly uprooted and moved to Paris -- where their mother, who's just beaten cancer, has always wanted to live, and their father has just found a dream job. Once there, Maya begins to suspect there's something more sinister going on than the homesickness and culture clash she feels, as she runs across spooky buildings, mysterious strangers, long-lost relatives, and unexplained events. With the help of her classmate Valko, she soon plunges into a life-changing adventure, and discovers a troubled family history dating back to the French Revolution.
Is It Any Good?
THE CABINET OF EARTHS gets top marks for skillfully navigating complex emotional territory. It explores the feelings of a girl who has been dealing with her beloved mother's cancer for several years, recognizes that she has no choice but to be a "good sport" and move to Paris because that's what her mom, now healthy, wants, and is still utterly miserable because she misses her dog so much. It also scores for an ingenious, thought-provoking premise and a plot with quite a few surprises. Its weakness lies in the fact that it has to convey a significant amount of newly invented cosmology, as well as historical and scientific information, for the plot to make sense. It all comes together by the end, but it may be confusing for some readers along the way.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how even in the world of magic, everything has a cost, although the person who gets the benefit may not be the one who pays the price. Just because you can do something or have something, should you?
Families can also talk about what it feels like to be the kid when one of the parents is going through cancer treatments, as Maya was for several years.
If you had the chance to go live in Paris, all expenses paid, for a year, would you go, or would you rather stay at home with your friends? Why?
Book Details
- Author: Anne Nesbet
- Genre: Fantasy
- Topics: Adventures
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books
- Publication date: January 3, 2012
- Number of pages: 272
- Last updated: June 25, 2015
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.
Suggest an Update
Where to Read
Our Editors Recommend
Fantasy Books for Kids
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate