Venice is a magical city, as almost everyone knows. Prosper and Bo know this–their mother always told them so. When their mother dies and their aunt tries to separate them, the two brothers run away from Germany to Venice. They live by their wits until they meet Scipio, a masked boy who claims to be the lord of thieves. He protects the two boys, along with several other orphans, by bringing them the proceeds from his midnight raids.
They should be safe, but Prosper can’t keep from looking over his shoulder for their aunt, and for the child-finding detective she’s hired. And what happens when Scipio is tempted to steal something that might be beyond his abilities? And what could be on those islands out in the lagoon?
Cornelia Funke has created a jewel of a world in what is technically a fantasy, but what is really more like the ordinary world lit with glimmers of the extraordinary. Each of the characters is perfectly drawn and each is consistent in their behavior and believable as a real person. The slow, sunlight-on-the-water atmosphere of Venice notwithstanding, the plot propells one through the story, without ever dropping its hold. What makes these feats even more impressive is that the story was originally written in German, and the delightful setting, plot and characters survived the translation process.
Much thanks to Cornelia Funke and her translator, Oliver Latsch, for releasing this book to readers on both sides of the ocean.
Posted by: Sarah
The very first book I reviewed for this blog was Francis Hardinge’s book Fly-by-Night, which was a revelation of language, story and idea; it was everything a new and original fantasy should be. I never hoped for a sequel, but almost four years later, we have one. In Fly Trap, Mosca Mye, Saracen (her lethal pet goose) and Eponymous Clent (her erstwhile employer) have escaped from Mandelion and, after a stint in debtor’s prison and a hair-raising encounter with a pawnbrokers’ auction, they find themselves in the town of Toll. 
This is a review for a book I haven’t read. Don’t get me wrong, only a national emergency could keep me from finishing but, I wanted to get this review out ASAP.
This engaging easy reader for the most beginning-est of beginning readers will delight parents and children alike. Cat the Cat travels from scene-to-scene encountering many animals and answering the question “Cat the Cat, who is that?” and the animals answer with names like “Duck the Duck” and “Mouse the Mouse” and “Rhino the Rhino”. Until Cat the Cat comes to a creature with large eyes, a blue tongue, four arms and three legs. When Cat the Cat is asked “Cat the Cat, who is that?” the answer from the creature is “Blargie!” Cat takes this answer in stride and goes off to play with her new friend, “Blargie.” The illustrations are adorable in this book and are so cartoon-like you can almost see the characters moving through the page. The text is presented in large white word bubbles and is large and clear for early readers. The repetition of words and sounds allows beginning readers a chance to build some reading confidence with engaging characters and a sweet story. For more beginning readers by Mo Willems, look for Time to Sleep, Sheep the Sheep, Let’s Say Hi to Friends who Fly, and the Elephant and Piggie books.
It can be hard to find a beginning chapter book that is also a great story, but Frankie Pickle manages to be both. Frankie Pickle is part chapter book, part comic book, with chapters alternating between traditional text and comic style illustrations.
Roland Smith knows about adventure and suspense. He’s a master of the “page turner” and he’s done it again. I could go on and on about danger, uncontrollable forces and plucky kids. However, I think I can sum it up in three words—hurricane, alone, giant alligators—okay that’s four words but, the alligators are REALLY HUGE. Enjoy. If you dare.
Remarkable stories arise from horrible events and this story about the friendship between a cat and a dog certainly fits in the remarkable category.
How can you resist the tag line “Yet Another Troll-Fighting 11-Year-Old Orthodox Jewish Girl”? 
Oscar Ogilvie was happy living with his Dad in Cairo, Illinois. The two loved model trains and had an elaborate set-up in their basement. Then the great depression hit their town and his dad lost his job and left for California to find work. Oscar had to live with his aunt and little cousin in the mean time. The trains were sold to the banker whose bank had taken their home. Oscar was unhappy but he met a drifter who helped him a lot with his homework and became his friend . When the drifter got a job as a night watchman at the bank, he would let Oscar come in to watch the trains after hours during the Christmas season. Then a terrible event happened at the bank and Oscar found himself time travelling on a real train to California with a soon to be movie star.
