The Thief Lord
Written by Cornelia Funke
Reviewed by Lucie M. (age 9)
Welcome to Venice, Italy where canals shimmer in the sun and tourists flock to see one of the most famous cities in Italy. But do they know who lurks in the deserted alleys or who roams the streets at night? In one abandoned alley you would find a strange old movie theater that has almost as many secrets as it is run down. Here is the home of five street children led by an extraordinary thirteen year old who calls himself the Thief Lord. He was said to be able to steal almost anything! Two of these street children are Bo and Prosper. Bo is a wild five year old boy who has a cute smile. Prosper is a twelve or thirteen year old who is overprotective of Bo. They are hiding from their evil Aunt and Uncle (who really only wanted to take care of Bo after his mom died, because of his cute smile.) But little do Bo and Prosper know that their aunt and uncle have put a detective on the case to find these runaways! Follow these children through their interesting encounters whether they are helping a mysterious man find something that he had sought out all his life or selling things to a red bearded man. I would suggest this wonderful book. This book would be good for people who like magic, adventures and a little mystery, because this book has all those genres rolled into one! Cornelia Funke?s writing style is very smooth, nice, and flows. The illustrator?s pictures are pleasant and often are from Venice. Like you know, this book?s setting is in Venice but did you know that Venice has very few streets and cars! Instead they use boats and canals! That?s one reason why this book is so fascinating! Another reason I think this book is so good is that you can really relate to the characters. If you fall in love with this book try Dragon Rider or any other book by Cornelia Funke. This book is enchanting, amusing and the perfect way to experience Venice, Italy without actually going there.
I loved this book because it?s just fun to read and sometimes comical. My favorite parts are when Bo uses his cute smile to get what he wants (I like this part because I love five year old boys). This book can make you feel different in each chapter; all good authors can do that.