SOLVED. Juvenile Fiction - Kids use a puzzle and gyroscope top to hypnotize themselves and fall into another world - 80s/90s. Spoilers ahead. [s]

[Jess]

I'm looking for a book I read around when I was ten years old in 1999. The book would have been published before 2000 and likely was published in the 80s or 90s, although the 70s is possible as well. My memory is a little hazy because of my age at the time, but it was in the Juvenile Fiction section of the library for ages 8-12. The book was hard cover with a picture that disintegrated into puzzle pieces. I remember that when I looked for it, I just looked for the cover rather than author or title. I think it was an author within the second half of the alphabet.

PLOT SPOILERS AHEAD >>>>
There are kids who find a puzzle at a garage sale that comes with a gyroscope. The kids are confused by this, but an adult (maybe an old lady selling the puzzle?) tells them that they need to build the puzzle and then spin the top and stare into it as it's spinning. I think the puzzle was of Monet's garden with water lilies and a bridge.

They do this, and then are transported to another world. I can't remember if it's back in time or to a parallel universe, but everything that happens in the other world feels very weird. Eventually they encounter bullies or other kids from their real life, but in different roles.

I remember at the end of the book, after a fight in the other world, the kids wake up, but one kid is actually hurt and they are in the hospital. It turns out that they are hypnotized while in the other world and remember the ending was somewhat ambiguous about how "real" the experiences were in the other world. It was a pretty dark ending and blew my young mind, which was just discovering that books aren't always a simple story.

Eventually I stopped being able to find the book at the library and think they got rid of it. It may be out of print. Does this ring any bells for anyone?

[Jess]

I'm pretty sure the cover image was of Monet's water lilies with the bridge and then it falling apart into puzzle pieces.

[Rainbowheart]

The Astonishing Stereoscope?

[Jess]

Thank you for replying! Unfortunately, that's not it, I don't think! The book was a little darker in tone, almost creepy (although the feeling of not knowing what's real might have created that for my ten-year-old self). They definitely looked into a top. I'm 99% sure it was called a gyroscope because I had to learn what the word meant to understand the book (although maybe it was another synonym).

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Perhaps kaleidoscope rather than gyroscope? This sounds like an interesting book Jess, I hope it's found soon.

[Jess]

I think it's been found through another site! The Trokeville Way https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Here's more on the book if you're interested! It was a gyroscope/puzzle combo but never was directly Monet's bridge...just a watercolour paining with a bridge. http://www.ocelotfactory.com/hoban/tr...

I'm stunned. Good luck with your book-finding and thanks for the help!

[Ayshe]

The Trokeville Way - for the GR link