Vango: Between Sky and Earth

Young Vango Romano longs to become a priest, despite his interest in Ethel, a girl he can't seem to forget. With the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party looming as a backdrop on Vango's ordination day in April 1934, he's accused of murder. Vango escapes the police by scaling the walls of Notre Dame like a spider and racing across the rooftops of Paris (and eventually the world) as multiple parties give chase and war erupts. Vango's past is murky%E2%80%94he washed up on the shores of a remote Italian isle with his nurse, a woman desperate to hide his origins%E2%80%94yet Vango's identity might hold the answer to why so many people want to find him. In this exceptional, sprawling novel, French author de Fombelle (Toby Alone) builds a layered tale around his mysterious protagonist, one full of humor and memorable characters. Part fantasy, part adventure, part historical novel, the story of Vango's flight across Europe and the smart young women that populate his life will be sure to thrill fans of Kenneth Oppel and win de Fombelle many enthusiasts of his own. Ages 12–up. (Oct.)