Staff Pick
This is one of those books that has stuck with me throughout my life. When I read it as a kid, it inspired me to travel to Venice because that is where The Thief Lord takes place. I still hold onto that dream to this day. The essential story is that two orphaned brothers lose themselves in Venice and wind up living with a ragtag guild of likewise-orphaned thieves. The atmospheric magic of this story is just the right amount to complement the actual magic. This book will find its way into your heart and make a nest there. Recommended By Junix S., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
The enchanting international bestseller with bonus back matter and a beautiful new cover!
Two orphaned brothers, Prosper and Bo, have run away to Venice, where crumbling canals and misty alleyways shelter a secret community of street urchins. Leader of this motley crew of lost children is a clever, charming boy with a dark history of his own: He calls himself the Thief Lord.
Propser and Bo relish their new "family" and life of petty crime. But their cruel aunt and a bumbling detective are on their trail. And posing an even greater threat to the boys' freedom is something from a forgotten past: a beautiful magical treasure with the power to spin time itself.
Synopsis
Two orphaned brothers run away to Venice, where crumbling canals and misty alleyways shelter a secret community of street urchins. The leader of this motley crew of lost children is a clever, charming boy with a dark history of his own: he calls himself the Thief Lord.
Synopsis
Two orphaned brothers, Prosper and Bo, have run away to Venice, where crumbling canals and misty alleyways shelter a secret community of street urchins. Leader of this motley crew of lost children is a clever, charming boy with a dark history of his own: He calls himself the Thief Lord.
Propser and Bo relish their new "family" and life of petty crime. But their cruel aunt and a bumbling detective are on their trail. And posing an even greater threat to the boys' freedom is something from a forgotten past: a beautiful magical treasure with the power to spin time itself.
THE THIEF LORD was the first of internationally acclaimed author CORNELIA FUNKE's novels to be translated from her native German into English, and was awarded the prestigious Batchelder award when it was originally published in hardcover in 2003.
New York Times Bestseller and Notable Book
USA Today Bestseller
Winner of the 2003 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for Outstanding Translated Book
Book Sense Book of the Year Award
School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Child Magazine Best Book of the Year
ALA Notable Children's Book
NCTE Notable Children's Book in the Language Art
"A radiant novel...Today's young readers will probably love this book as they love the Harry Potter series, for its zany plot and well-defined characters. Splendid."--The New York Times Book Review
"An exquisitely told tale of adventure and intrigue...displays the kind of zest that makes you inhale a book in as few sittings as possible."--USA Today
"A darn good yarn--the charming tale of a band of urchin-thieves, a magical carousel, and two orphaned brothers."--Newsweek
"Funke's deft exploration of a timeless theme--the longing of kids to grow up and of grown-ups to relive their youth--should engage both yound and old."--People
* "Funke delineates her characters...with masterful subtlety, as well as sometimes-puckish humor. It's a compelling tale, rich in in
About the Author
Cornelia Funke is the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of The Thief Lord, Dragon Rider, and the Inkheart trilogy, along with many other chapter and picture books for younger readers. She lives in Los Angeles, California, in a house filled with books.