IT'S A RHAP, CAT

A sixth grader investigates her mysterious connection to a 16th-century painting.

In this appealing, well-crafted novel for middle school readers, 12-year-old Caterina, living in Los Angeles, is an ace softball player and self-proclaimed history nerd of Italian descent. On a museum visit, Cat is intrigued by the Italian Renaissance painting Portrait of a Lady With a Unicorn by Raphael, on loan from Rome’s Borghese Gallery. Relating to what she sees in the unknown Lady’s eyes, “gazing straight at me like she’s got something to say,” Cat finds that her curiosity is kindled further by museum visitors’ stares because of her resemblance to the work’s subject. Cat’s determination to uncover all she can about the painting and her enigmatic link to the work eventually takes her to Rome. There, through her great-aunt, she learns of a family legend that just might solve the mystery. Miao deftly weaves together historical facts about the painting and the experiences of women of the period into a narrative about a sixth grade girl’s life at school and at home that will resonate with many readers. Cat’s love for history comes through with credible enthusiasm, as much a part of her as her prowess in softball, empathy for others, public speaking shyness, feelings for a secret crush, and antipathy toward a perceived rival. She also remains exasperated by her annoying older sister, her mother’s absence due to work, and her father’s obsession with healthy eating and his SUV. The author creates a believable path for Cat to pursue her interest in the painting by putting her research in the context of the maternal Italian side of her family and a school “Renaissance History and Art Project.” That’s RHAP for short, according to Cat’s best friend, Ellie, featured in the author’s debut middle-grade novel, Wei To Go! (2022), the first installment of Miao’s Ellie & Co series. But the author has more in mind than the answer to a mystery in this sequel, tracing Cat’s growth naturally through her art and Rome experiences as she learns things about herself and connects with her own family.

This captivating tale delivers a relatable tween hero, suspense, and an infectious sense of discovery.