"Simply brilliant—no, complexly brilliant. I have never read a more absorbing, unflinching, intense embodiment of biographical fiction."

 — Sena Jeter Naslund, author of Abundance, a Novel of Marie Antoinette and Ahab's Wife

"Elizabeth Slade has added a profound new book to the literature around Dr. Maria Montessori's life that takes readers on a first-person historical fiction narrative that embraces Montessori's personal life, her journey into motherhood, and ultimately, her humanity as the person behind this incredible movement." 

 — Mariana Bissonnette, author of Babies Build Toddlers

Momentum is a captivating historical novel about Dr. Maria Montessori, a brilliant woman who defied societal norms, becoming one of Italy's first female doctors and later revolutionizing education worldwide. Taking its bones from an actual diary written by Dr. Montessori in 1913 chronicling her first voyage to America, Momentum is a fictionalized retelling of that same journey. Written directly to her son, Mario, the novel illuminates their complicated relationship and how he came to be raised by others while she focused on her work. Momentum is a compelling portrait of a woman who overcame countless obstacles to leave a lasting impact on the field of education.