After an experience he’d rather forget, Vincent is determined to be done with art. So when he and his little sister, Lili, spend spring break with their art conservator great-uncle, Vincent’s plan is to stay glued to his phone.

That is, until Lili disappears into one of the world’s most famous paintings and Vincent learns his parents have been hiding something from him: Their family is the last of The Restorationists, a secret society with the power to travel through paintings—and a duty to protect them from evil forces.

With Lili’s safety on the line, leaving art behind is no longer an option. Vincent must team up with his know-it-all second-cousin Georgia, wrestle with why his parents lied to him, and confront both his past and a future he never wanted. Young readers are invited into a captivating universe where paintings become a portal—and adventure and danger lurk beyond every canvas.

Book 1 of the The Restorationists series.

Vincent is done with art. He knows his mom’s not-so-secret plan to make him like art won’t work—not even if she makes him stay with her uncle, a famous art restorer. But when Vincent’s younger sister, Lili, disappears into a famous painting, Vincent must confront his dislike of art and discover his family’s secrets. Action and ideas churn as Vincent works with his cousin Georgia under his uncle’s supervision to rescue his sister. Vivid descriptions reflect famous masterpieces during our heroes’ magical search. Carolyn Leiloglou’s Beneath the Swirling Sky explores how people reclaim lost passions in this adventure for middle-grade readers.

Best for: Fans of fantasy adventure, teachers needing a tie-in for art unit studies.

Discern: Family secrets, children abused by villains, bullying in school settings.