The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

A. Bibliography

Funke, Cornelia. 2000. The Thief Lord. Hamburg: Cecilie Dressler Verlag. ISBN 0-439-40437-1

B. Plot Summary

Faced with separation after their mother's death 12-year-old Prosper and 5-year-old Boniface, known affectionately as Prop and Bo, flee their child-loathing aunt who has agreed to take in Bo but not Prop. They escape to Venice, city of their mother's dreams and numerous bedtime stories; and although Venice is visually everything their mother told them, the brothers soon realize they are not equipped to survive on their own. On the brink of starvation Prop and Bo are rescued by a group of street children led by the masked and booted Thief Lord. Living in an abandoned movie theater and buying what they need with money earned from pawning what The Thief Lord steals, Bo and Prop are happy until Prop realizes a private detective, hired by their aunt, is closing in on them. In the midst of dodging the detective Prop, Bo, and their friends become entangled in the theft of an object which, according to legend, has the power to make one older or younger; depending on ones wishes.

C. Critical Analysis:

Although the author is German The Thief Lord is set in Venice, Italy. Funke brings the culture and scenery of Venice to life through descriptions of the food; olives, red-pepper salami, and pastries, the architecture and scenery; sculptures of winged lions, dragons, and angels with small pen and ink illustrations scattered throughout the book, and everywhere one looks; in the gutters, blowing in the wind, and floating in the Canal Grande; vaporett or water bus tickets, the mode of transportation used by everyone to get around the city. First published in Germany in 2000 and winner of the 2003 Batchelder Award for a children's book considered to be an outstanding book originally published in a foreign language in a foreign country, and subsequently translated into English and published in the United States the Thief Lord will remind both adults and teens of the powerlessness of childhood and empowerment of good friends. Teens will especially enjoy the exploits of Scipio, Bo, Prop, Hornet, Riccio, and Mosca; mere children who live by their wits and outfox the adults at almost every turn. A glossary of Italian words used in The Thief Lord with their English translation is included at the back of the book.

D. Review excerpt:

Publishers Weekly: "Wacky characters bring energy to this translation of an entertaining German novel about thieving children, a disguise-obsessed detective and a magical merry-go-round. After their mother dies, 12-year-old Prosper and his brother, Bo, five, flee from Hamburg to Venice (an awful aunt plans to adopt only Bo). They live in an abandoned movie theater with several other street children under the care of the Thief Lord, a cocky youth who claims to rob "the city's most elegant houses." The Venetian setting is ripe for mystery and the city's alleys and canals ratchet up the suspense in the chase scenes. Ages 9-12."

E. Connections

Read-alikes for reader's advisory suggestions:

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau