Thieves Like Us

April 1, 2006
Gr. 8-11. After being plucked from a juvenile prison facility in the middle of the night, Jonah Wish is initiated into a group of teenage thieves, headed by Nathaniel Coldhardt, who coordinates a lavish lifestyle for misfits and sends them on assignments around the globe. Each team member has a special talent; Jonah, initially held against his will, quickly perceives that he has been tapped for his computer savvy. When he balks at a plan to steal ancient artifacts, his new associates challenge his morality: "This is your only chance at being somebody, Jonah." Although Jonah becomes one of Coldhardt's "children," he continues to struggle with the question of whom to trust--the team, Coldhardt, or himself. Somewhat reminiscent of Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl books, this novel relies on fast action, cool gadgets, and clever problem solving rather than dialogue or character development. The guys ogle the girls while chasing an ancient Egyptian secret to immortality, and then party and play video games.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2006, American Library Association.)