When a homeless woman gives Maxzyne a painting of a French poodle just like the one in a storefront display, it turns out to be more than just a coincidence for the impulsive 10-year-old. Maxzyne finds herself at the center of a rescue mission when a wayward freight elevator, a family of enchanted vintage mannequins in distress, and a secret tunnel propel her straight into the mysterious depths of a Chicago department store. Can she convince the ghastly Gigi not to use the mannequins' heads in her art exhibit before store closing? It's a race against the clock for Maxzyne and her new mannequin sidekick Elise.Despite her overactive imagination and tendency to get distracted, she learns some important lessons about loyalty, bravery, generosity, and accepting responsibility for her actions. A wonderfully spirited and fun adventure story, Maxzyne Meets the Mannequins is a delightful read for children of all ages.
Fed up with polygraphs, security clearances and a daily commute, Caroline Lee fled a career writing classified reports for the Dept. of Defense to become a full-time storyteller and daydreamer-in-chief. Often inspired by her surroundings, Caroline's first book, "Maxzyne Meets the Mannequins," features America's most impulsive heroine, 10-year-old Maxzyne Merriweather, whose madcap adventures take place in the magical and historic city of Chicago. Caroline currently resides in Delray Beach, Florida where the weather is much warmer than Chicago. She is a member of the Society of Childrens Bookwriters & Illustrators (SCBWI) and is thrilled that her first book "Maxzyne Meets the Mannequins" won the 2020 Independent Press Award for Children's Fiction. The second adventure in the series, "Maxzyne and the Old Horse Theatre" is now also available on Amazon and recently won two Story Monsters Dragonfly awards! And just released: MAXZYNE GOES AQUAMARINE in ebook and soft cover. Learn more at www.maxzyne.com
I bought my mother a doll this week. A wide-eyed rubber baby doll with rosebud lips, wearing a nubby pink and white sleeper. She giggles when you press her tummy. The purchase was bittersweet. I will be visiting my mom and wanted to bring her a gift. She is now in a late stage of Alzheimer's, her foggy brain in reversal, its clock cruelly turned back, her actions now resembling early childhood. I remembered that a friend's mother, suffering from the same terrible disease years earlier, had loved a baby doll she had been given. As I chose this particular doll, it brought back happy memories of my own doll-playing days. I loved visiting my grandmother who saved all of my mother's toys, including her dolls. They were lovely, in the old-fashioned vintage style of the 1940's with sculpted hair and feathery lashes framing crystal blue eyes that opened and closed. Handmade dresses, crocheted pajamas and assorted accessories made for hours of imaginative fun. I'm feeling both sad and excited to give it to her. Somehow there is something sacred about completing this circle together.
Book Excerpt
Maxzyne Meets the Mannequins
“Don’t want to leave Polly behind. She’ll keep you company,” she reassures the doll. “Hmmm . . . do mermaids have dolls, Faith? She frowns, thinking hard, before shaking her head. “Nah. Just seahorses.”
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