• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

On a school trip to the museum, Matthew has an eerie meeting with Peter Glimmer, who was imprisoned in his own portrait by his uncle, the villainous alchemist, Nicolaas van der Leyden. Peter Glimmer entrusts Matthew with recovering from the past the one thing that can save the world. Encountering magic, mayhem and murder, Matthew ends up in a desperate race back through time in order to save the future.

Simon Rose was born in Derbyshire, England. He graduated from university with a degree in history and has lived in Canada since 1990. He is also a graduate of the Institute of Children’s Literature of West Redding, CT. Simon offers a wide variety of presentations, workshops and author-in-residence programs for schools and libraries, covering such topics as the writing process, editing and revisions. He is a regular speaker at conferences and festivals, and has served as a juror for numerous literary prizes and awards, including the Governor General’s Literary Award for Children’s Literature in 2007. Simon, his two children, and his dog and cat live in Calgary.

Simon Rose's profile page

• Short-listed, Golden Eagle Book Award