The Thief Lord

delaneynoelle - So far this book is REALLY detailed and the characters are very interesting. Theif Lord is about 2 boys who have run away from home and found themselves in Venice, Italy. They meet a girl who everyone calls Hornet because she wears her hair in braid that looks like a long stinger. They are running out of money and food, and need someone's help- but who could be good enough to help? The Thief Lord. While the boys and Hornet struggle to find money and food, their evil aunt Esther is telling a detective about her missing brats that she must take care of for her sister. The detective is having a hard time finding the kids as their bodies slowly start to shut down in the cold winter air. Will the Detective be able to find the boys in time? Who is the Theif Lord? Find out by reading this book!

November 11, 2002
Jones's (The Devil's Own; Brideshead Revisited) deep, sonorous voice and British accent set the perfect mood for German author Funke's adventurous tale of orphans on the run in Venice. Though set in modern-day Italy, Funke's story could comfortably sit alongside Oliver Twist
and Peter Pan; she incorporates elements from both these timeless works as she introduces brothers Prosper and Bo and their cohorts. Having run away from their cruel aunt and guardian (who wants to adopt only younger brother Bo), Prosper and Bo find themselves in the alleys and canals of Venice, a city their deceased mother spoke of with adoration. The boys find shelter, sustenance and camaraderie via a band of child thieves, led by a bold adolescent who calls himself the Thief Lord. Intrigue, suspense and humor abound as the boys outwit, then befriend, a local detective and a wealthy dowager all on the way to discovering a merry-go-round with magical powers. Funke leaves a few loose ends dangling, but most listeners won't mind as Jones reads at a good clip, catching them up in the excitement of the children's exploits and the colorful surroundings. Simultaneous release with Scholastic/Chicken House hardcover.
Ages 9-up.