Jitty and the Machine

Artemis Fowl meets City of Ember in this epic and imaginative illustrated steampunk fantasy novel following a clever young inventor in a perilous situation who must find the courage to reengineer her destiny—one gear at a time.

Jitty of Slant Jaw Row has always survived by her wits in Clockwork India, scavenging scraps to build clever inventions that keep her family alive. But when her latest creation accidentally knocks out power to the entire city of Calcutta, British officers throw Jitty in jail, where she expects to die.

Yet almost as soon as she arrives, Jitty is visited by the young Duke of Calcutta, who is impressed by her skill with gears. He has a job to offer her: Help finish a powerful machine unlike anything the empire has ever seen.

Whisked into a world of glittering palaces, secret laboratories, and brilliant inventors, Jitty wonders if the duke is telling her the whole truth about his machine—and what will happen to her and her family if she doesn’t complete it.

Mitali Banerjee Ruths was born in New York, grew up in Texas, and now lives in Canada with her partner, three kids, and their dog Tux. Jitty and the Machine is her first middle grade book, inspired by Mitali’s love of technology and South Asian culture mixed with her fascination for steampunk and Victorian India. Mitali is also the author of several award-winning books, like the The Party Diaries chapter book series, illustrated by Aaliya Jaleel; The Inside Scouts early reader series, illustrated by Francesca Mahaney; and picture books Archie Celebrates Diwali and Archie Celebrates an Indian Wedding, both illustrated by Parwinder Singh. Visit her online at MitaliRuths.com.

Iacopo Bruno is an illustrator and graphic designer living in Milan, Italy.