Portraits of Flowers and Shadows/Dancing Through Fire

Quick Assessment

These two historical fiction novels follow young girls facing personal and societal challenges in the late 19th century. 'Portraits of Flowers and Shadows' centers on Aurelia, an orphan hiding from a dark past while forming unexpected bonds, including with the artist Winslow Homer. 'Dancing Through Fire' follows Sylvie, a ballet pupil in Paris who grows through hardship during wartime. Both books are appropriate for middle-grade readers, offering themes of resilience and self-discovery without graphic content.