Cincinnati Lee, Curse Breaker: A Thrilling Middle Grade Quest Through Museums and Ancient Curses for Kids (Ages 8-12)

Kirkus Best Book “An unforgettable adventure with a deeply endearing, slightly chaotic heroine.” —Kyle Lukoff, author of Newbery Honor book Too Bright to See“All the suspense and intrigue of a middle-school Da Vinci Code. Fast-paced fun and plenty of charm to boot.” —Christopher Healy, author of No One Leaves the Castle“Thrilling.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“Surprises aplenty, real danger, and lots of laughs.” —Booklist (starred review)From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler meets Indiana Jones! A young adventurer races to break the family curse by repatriating the artifacts her famed ancestor “saved.” Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan, Kwame Mbalia, and Rena Barron.Cincinnati Lee’s great great (great?) grandfather is famous. His adventures discovering ancient artifacts have been made into movies, and his work is widely respected by museums across the world. The thing is, in that line of work, you’re bound to get cursed. And that leaves your great great (great?) granddaughter to break the curse by returning the artifacts you “preserved.”Cincinnati’s own adventure begins in the Cosmopolitan Museum in New York City, where her single mom works and Cincinnati has grown up. Soon she learns about the ancient Spear of Destiny—and its potential to right all the wrongs in her family’s past. Or bring about the end of the world. It all depends on whose hands it falls into. Cincinnati must beat two relic hunters to the spear, and her quest will take her to surprising locations throughout the city and even across the Atlantic Ocean. Along the way, she’ll make a new friend (which is not the easiest thing to do), make some enemies (surprisingly easy to do), and ultimately learn what makes the world worth saving. Acclaimed author Heidi Heilig makes a dazzling middle grade debut with an irrepressible hero, a compelling cast of friends and enemies, nonstop action, and a thoughtful approach to viewing our responsibilities to each other and the world around us.One girl. A centuries-old curse. A race across the world to set things right.A Daring Museum Heist: Cincinnati grew up in the Cosmopolitan Museum, which gives her a home-field advantage when she decides to "liberate" a cursed Chachapoyas idol.Rivals to... Well, Still Rivals: She’s not the only descendant of a famed archaeologist at her school. Sebastian Thomas is determined to get his hands on the same artifacts—and he doesn’t play fair.A Race for Ancient Artifacts: From the heart of Manhattan to the streets of Paris, Cincinnati must hunt down legendary relics like the Spear of Destiny before they fall into the wrong hands.Repatriation and Responsibility: More than just an adventure, this is a quest to right the wrongs of the past, questioning who really owns history and what it means to protect a legacy. Read more