The Perfume of Memory

Like Proust before them, Nikly and Claverie create an homage to the interlinking significance of scent and memory. Against a mysterious, Middle Eastern-style backdrop, young Yasmin sets her sights on becoming the Royal Perfume Maker--but the law proclaims that only boys can study perfumery. Encouraged by her father, himself a perfume maker, she enters one of her scents in an annual contest celebrating the queen's birthday. But before the queen gets to Yasmin's entry, she lifts the stopper of a dangerous scent concocted by the scorned Royal Advisor, which erases the queen's memory. While Yasmin cannot undo the villain's damage, she uses her perfumery skills to recreate the important scents of the queen's past to help restore her memory. Nikly's instructive tale is sophisticated yet accessible, though some readers will balk at the idea that it was the evil Royal Advisor who penned the story. Claverie's dreamy watercolors hint at a Middle Eastern decorative tradition but retain a charming simplicity. His soft palette of pink, dusky blues, gold and tan plays off the buttery yellow paper providing a frame for each illustration. The book's tall, narrow trim size and elegant design add to its appeal. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)