by Ouida (Marie Louise de la Ramée (1992)
Marie Louise de la Ramée (1839-1908) wrote many popular novels of adventure and romance in the 1870s and 80s under the pen name of Ouida. She also produced a number of captivating stories for youngsters. One of the best, A Dog of Flanders,. First published in 1872, A Dog of Flanders tells the moving story of Nello, a gentle boy with aspirations of becoming a painter, and Patrasche — his devoted Belgian work dog. The two, along with Nello's grandfather, live in a little village near Antwerp where Nello's idol, the artist Rubens, once worked. Nello and Patrasche suffer countless hardships — poverty, hunger, cruelty, and rejection. But they persevere in the face of adversity, up to their tragic, bittersweet end. Rich in the sentiment of its Romantic tradition, yet convincing in its portrayal of both human and animal nature, this touching classic has tugged at the heartstrings of readers and listeners alike for generations. It remains one of the nineteenth century's most imaginative and arresting works of fiction for children.
Marian Orłoń
A famous picture is in danger of being stolen, the headquarters of the Circle of the Aficionados of Checkers has been robbed and an elusive pickpocket strikes at the celebrations to mark the hundredth anniversary of the founding of Lower Limewood. This small town seems to have attracted quite a number of thieves - a good job they can count the brilliant Detective Nosegoode and his faithful Cody among their residents.
John Berger
"The principal action in A Painter of Our Time takes place across a stretch of some four years in the life of the fictional Hungarian painter Janos Lavin. The story is told in part by Lavin’s friend John, who resembles John Berger in several ways--not least in his being an art critic during this period--and who has discovered Lavin’s journal in the latter’s studio after his return to Budapest in October, 1956. The text alternates between passages from the journal and the interpolations of John, who fills in the gaps, narrating more fully the events surrounding the reflections recorded in the journal"--Summary taken from enotes website.
Barry Unsworth
When conservationist Simon Raikes goes to Venice to restore a statue of the Madonna, he is unprepared for the effect this stone virgin's strange, seductive beauty and mysterious past will have on his life.
Thierry Magnier
Isabelle, a pretty pig with artistic aspirations, visits the museum and is shown all the paintings and statues by the little Angel, an experience that changes her life.