By: Jamie Steinberg
After reading The Picasso Curse, my advice is to check any purchase you buy at an auction or flea market for hidden treasures. Edwin Hodge goes from elementary school nobody to a household name after he unexpectedly finds a Picasso drawing hidden in a poster he buys of Kobe Bryant. What starts as a simple fun purchase brings fame and fortune that Edwin is not ready for. The Picasso Curse poses the question, what would you do if you found something so unique and precious?
A day at the flea market turns Edwin Hodge’s life upside down. When he finds and buys a signed poster of Kobe Bryant he has no idea what is hidden behind the frame. Upon removing the frame and bringing the poster into school for Show-and-Tell, a little doodle by Picaso falls out. Thinking it’s just nothing special, Edwin considers throwing it out but a chance viewing by his art teacher convinces him that he may have a real Picasso on his hands. Edwin and family head to have the item inspected at a museum only to have it actually authenticated! When word gets out about Edwin’s discovery, a classmate who was set to purchase the poster thinks he should be the rightful owner of the Picasso – as does the flea market merchant who sold it to Edwin. Add in the fact that Edwin’s parents are both out of a job due to a tornado wrecking the store they work at and our pal Edwin is feeling the pressure. He’s left with the difficult decision of whether to hold on to his masterpiece or sell it now to help out his family.
Author Dan Gutman offers a bit of background on the famous painter and even comes up with a realistic way that one of his drawings could have wound up in the hands of a young kid from a small (fictional) town in Illinois. As a reader, I was quickly captivated by Edwin’s predicament. However, I wish we had gotten to see a rendering of said “Picasso drawing” for added visual affect. Additionally, I was a bit disappointed by the “leave it up to the reader” ending. But as I am an adult, I think younger readers will actually get a kick out of Edwin’s final decision and the opportunity to participate in dinner conversation by posing this quandary to family members.
The Picasso Curse is a quick, fascinating read that will entice those that love a good mystery, a will-they-won’t-they and even fans of a surprise ending. Grab a spot on the couch for a book that will keep middle grade page turners invested in this gripping art adventure.