The Metropolitans

Set in 1941 on Pearl Harbor Day, The Metropolitans follows four 13-year-old friends at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The young teens - Walt, Joe, Madge and Elizabeth - meet by chance at the museum during a field trip that coincides with news of the attack. The group discovers an Arthurian manuscript that may hold clues to preventing a planned attack on New York City. They race against time to decode the manuscript's secrets while navigating the complexities of their different backgrounds and the climate of suspicion that has descended on the city. A mix of history, fantasy and mystery drives this middle-grade novel that incorporates Celtic mythology and Arthurian legend. The story parallels the Knights of the Round Table as the four young people work to protect their city. The novel explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and prejudice against the backdrop of World War II America while examining how fear can divide communities. Through its young protagonists, it considers what it means to be an outsider and how trust can bridge cultural differences.

Readers note strong parallels to The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, with several commenting on similarities in the museum setting and young protagonists solving mysteries. Liked: - Historical accuracy and details about 1940s New York - Integration of Arthurian legends with WWII events - Character diversity and development of the four main characters - Educational value for middle-grade readers about Pearl Harbor Disliked: - Slow pacing in first third of book - Complex plot threads that younger readers found confusing - Some found the Arthurian connections forced - Several readers mentioned difficulty keeping track of multiple viewpoints Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (80+ reviews) Kirkus Reviews: Starred review One frequent comment from teachers and librarians: "Good for teaching WWII history to middle schoolers, but requires some guidance to follow all plot elements."

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🗽 Released in 2017, The Metropolitans parallels the events of King Arthur's court with the attack on Pearl Harbor, weaving medieval mythology into World War II history. 📚 Author Carol Goodman was inspired to write the book after learning about the Metropolitan Museum of Art's evacuation plans during WWII to protect priceless artifacts. 🎨 The book features real artwork from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, including the famous medieval Unicorn Tapestries. 🔍 The four main characters—Walt, Joe, Madge, and Kiku—represent different cultural backgrounds that reflect the diversity of 1940s New York City. 📖 The Celtic manuscript at the center of the plot is based on actual medieval illuminated manuscripts, which often contained hidden codes and symbols that scholars still study today.