Even though she grew up in Chicago, Ruthie had never seen the Thorne Rooms at the Chicago Art Institute. When she finally gets her first glimpse during a field trip, Ruthie falls in love. She dreams of walking around in exquisite rooms and sleeping in tiny beds such as this, but she knows that’s something she can do only in her imagination. Or is it? When she and her best friend Jack discover a magic key that allows her to shrink to five inches tall, she knows this is her chance to do exactly as she had imagined—and she realizes that amazing adventures come when you least expect them.

The plot of this book takes a number of surprising twists and turns, bringing characters into the magic when you least expect them. Also, the rooms themselves definitely become as much a character as Ruthie and Jack. I believe young readers will enjoy the children's ingenuity as they tackle the problems that come with shrinking to five inches tall. For any girl who has ever peeked into a dollhouse and wished she could walk around inside—this book is a dream come true.