I loved this time travel novel told in alternating perspectives. Hannah and Maggie have their own unique voices making their chapters easy to follow. Hannah can only imagine what it must have been liked living in the mansion as an heiress at the turn of the century, while Maggie tries to figure out how cell phones work and how amazing it is to wear sweatpants! Beyond learning about different time periods, the story is also about solving an art heist as the portrait of Maggie is only a reproduction. The girls work together across time to try and solve the case before time is up.

This story had the potential to be fun and interesting, but unfortunately, the "messages" are ham-fisted, and the writing lacks any kind of subtlety.

This book has everything -- history, mystery, time travel, and TWO strong female main characters! The contrast between past and present was very well done, as well as the mystery itself. I am sure that my students would enjoy this story!

This was so fun! It's less of a mystery than I expected and more historic fiction. Great characters. Realistic issues and complications from the time jump (moreso for the girl who goes forward in time than for the one who goes back because she understands the time period to an extent). Fantastic girl-power elements that really made the story special. Includes an author's note with resources for readers.

This book totally satisfied my library, history, museum, time travel, mystery, geeky side of me.
Hannah's dad works at a historical mansion and they get to love there. Hannah loves it and knows all about it especially the mysterious, unsolved art heist from the early 1900s. So when she accidentally switches places with the subject of that painting she is thrilled. Now maybe she can solve the mystery and find out more about the time period.
Maggie is a little more hesitant about the switch. Life is so different for girls in the present than it was for her in the early 1900s.
As the days go on Hannah and Maggie work together along with friends to solve the hundred year old mystery.
Like I said - mystery, history, and time travel. My only quibble was that it was a bit long. The format of the story - alternating chapters with Hannah and Maggie - meant equal time spent with each. Hannah's story was more central to the mystery and the solving of it. Maggie's side did not really have much influence until later in the book so some of her earlier chapters involving friends and soccer seemed more of a filler. They did end up influencing how she was motivated to better the lives of girls and women but it didn't move the plot along. Minor quibble though - overall really enjoyed.

I really enjoyed this time traveling story! I liked that the story switched back and forth between this century and the last century. It was very interesting to see how different the two centuries have become and how a 21st century kid might fare in the 20th century and vice versa. Maggie and Hannah are both in for some shocks as they try to navigate the others world without permanently messing anything up for each other. As Hannah tries to solve a century old mystery in the 20th century, she realizes that her actions could change history and therefore change the life she knows back in her own century.

The Art of the Swap such a fun read! Trying to piece together the mystery while watching these girls explore completely different eras in time. It’s hilarious to watch Maggie figure out modern day life and technology while Hannah finally gets a glimpse of the era she’s always dreamed to be incredibly glamorous. This book celebrates female friendship, women’s rights, and girl power in a big way. We think readers are going to absolutely love it! Kris & Jen dropped by our site with some fun facts about the book, so be sure to check it out!

Simple and fun book. I think it will be a hit in the library. I already have a great idea for the book talk.

Two girls born a hundred years apart living in the same house located in Newport, Rhode Island in The Elms- magically switch places in time. I enjoyed the fun of Hannah (from the present) and Maggie (from the past) living an ordinary life in another time.  Hannah's quest is to stop an art heist from happening which may or may not switch them back. I think Hannah has things a little more comfortable because as a history buff she knows the history of the house and its contents. Maggie dealing with the tech of modern life is hilarious.

More than the story which was appropriately twisty I liked the tone and the fact that these girls were thrust into a crazy situation and used their wits and smarts to figure it all out.

Hannah lives in Newport, Rhode Island in The Elms, a fabulous mansion from the Gilded Age. Of course, her father is the caretaker of the 1905 edifice, so she lives in a small apartment, but she does have the opportunity to roam around, and she loves learning about the history of the time, a fact which sometimes gets her into trouble with the docents! She is intrigued by the portrait of Margaret Dunlap-- the original painting by Mary Cassat was stolen the night of the unveiling party and never recovered, although there is a copy hanging in its place. When Hannah is investigating the fram while dusting, she finds the outline of a key on the back... and somehow, she is able to talk to Maggie. Even more thrilling is the fact that the girls swap places! Hannah is sure that this swap must be about the theft of the painting and sets out to investigate, with the help of the main suspect, a kitchen boy named Jonah. Maggie finds it harder to insert herself into Hannah's life, since she doesn't have the background knowledge that Hannah has about the people, and there are so many new technologies and clothes to deal with! The two girls communicate frequently and manage to find out the fate of the original painting, and try to find a way to unveil it in the present day. They try to swap back, but are stopped, and continue to work in the time they inhabit to make things right.

Strengths: This put me in mind of both Tom's Midnight Garden, as well as Konigsberg's The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler AND made me really want to take a tour of the historic houses of Newport! The time travel method was highly acceptable, the mystery solid, and the relationahip between the girls very charming. Hannah's realization that the history she knows so well really did happen, and had some ramifications she hadn't fully understood, is well done and tempers her somewhat bratty personality at the beginning of the book. Maggie's awe at the freedom of modern girls and her embracing that freedom when she returns to her own time were both heartfelt and touching. There are a lot of art mysteries, but this wasn't as much about the art. Modern girls would do well to understand that the freedoms they enjoy have not been around forever, and this book is an excellent way for them to gain more details about women's rights and how they affected every day life.
Weaknesses: This was on the long side. Since Maggie's exploits in the modern day are not as crucial to the plot, I think I would have gone a bit lighter on them.
What I really think: Will definitely purchase, since Malone has a huge fan base in my library. I am impressed with the seamless work of these two authors-- definitely a success story for Google docs!

Completely by chance, I read this book at the same time I was reading The Art Forger which created a unique and interesting experience.
The Art of the Swap is a middle grade heist adventure shared by Hannah, who lives in modern times and idealizes life at The Elms during the Gilded Age, and Maggie, a young woman from the Gilded Age who struggles with living up to expectations society places on her. The two girls switch places; Hannah sets out to solve the mystery of Maggie's portrait that was stolen on the day of it's debut. Maggie meanwhile flounders in Hannah's world as she realizes that women have many more freedoms than she ever imagined.
Since this is a middle-grade book, the actual solving of the heist happens fairly easily and quickly. The power of the book is in each of the girls realizing that they can have an impact on the world around them. The writing style is pretty straightforward and I really struggled with the laid-back and almost robotic dialogue.

Overall, this is a fun read and I enjoy that it has some basis in reality. The Berwinds did build The Elms which was an extravagant home. I didn't find mention of Mary Cassat being commissioned to paint a portrait of a niece that was then stolen but the Berwinds did have an impressive art collection.

The Art of the Swap by Kristine Asselin and Jen Malone was an outstanding historical fiction book for middle grade readers. The authors effortlessly combine historical and present-day culture in a way that will make the reader think about how they live now and why we have those opportunities. There is also an ever-present theme of change, growth and development throughout the book. The characters, landscape and technology are changing. These changes present both opportunity and struggle. This is a theme not to be missed by the reader. Hannah and Maggie are two girls living in separate time periods who find themselves in a time travel swap that leaves them both with puzzles to solve. The adventure makes you want to keep reading chapter after chapter and difficult to put down. The book is fun to read, but also makes you think long and hard about life then and now and what we can do to continue to make change and move forward. The book is full of girl power, mystery, intrigue, family, friendships, and history. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to share it with readers!

not as engaging as I'd hoped, the pacing could have been much more lively.