Lake Forest Library hosts author Marianne Malone via Skype

On February 20, the Reading Rangers children's book group at Lake Forest Library met with author Marianne Malone via Skype to discuss her series, The Sixty-Eight Rooms, a mystery-fantasy novel set amid the Art Institute of Chicago's famed Thorne Miniature Rooms.

While living in Chicagoland, Malone conceived of the idea to write a children's book about actually entering the Thorne Rooms. One book blossomed into four, as heroes Ruthie and Jack–shrunk down to doll-size thanks to the discovery of a magic key–explore different rooms and even travel back in time, meeting historic people along the way.

Throughout the evening, Malone answered questions about the series and the writing process with enthusiasm and insight. Our Reading Rangers were eager to find out how she developed her characters and researched the Thorne Rooms. She even hinted there might be a TV series in the future! Family trips to the Art Institute would definitely be enriched by reading The Sixty-Eight Rooms beforehand.

For more information about children's book groups at the Library, visit www.lakeforestlibrary.org/book-fun.