The Good Thieves

After a swindling Prohibition-era robber baron cheats Vita's grandfather out of his crumbling family castle on the Hudson River, she and her mother sail from England to assist him. Vita, who developed keen throwing skills during a bout of polio, greets New York City "as a boxer greets an opponent before a fight." Left to her own devices, she meets three talented children: Silk, a pickpocket, and two burgeoning circus performers who live in Carnegie Hall. Russian Arkady is deeply in tune with animals, and Samuel, a boy from Mashonaland, secretly trains as a trapeze artist. To help her grandfather, Vita persuades them to join her in a heist: break into the castle and find an emerald necklace ("large as a lion's eye") that belonged to her beloved late grandmother. Rundell hallmarks abound--clever animals and children, themes of autonomy and cruelty (here frequently conveyed via the era's attitudes about ability and skin color). While the narrative build and heist occasionally succumb to unlikely moments, Rundell's (The Explorer) subtle telling and her protagonists' grit culminate in a dazzling tale of wild hope, lingering grief, admirable self-sufficiency, and intergenerational adoration. Ages 8-12. (Aug.)

Gr 3-6 Rundell's (Rooftoppers) latest weaves the story of Vita Marlowe and her quest to save her family's livelihood. When Vita and her mother sail from Ireland to New York to aid her grandfather, Vita discovers that he has been swindled out of his castle-esque mansion by a mobster. After many promises to do no such thing, Vita tracks down the greedy Sorrotore, uncovers his malicious real estate schemes, bands together a crew of peers with particular talents, and stages a daring heist to recover an emerald from the mansion. 1920s New York allows for a circus to serve as a secondary setting and plot; the kids not already involved join up in the end after proving their worth. Arkady, the prodigious animal handler, calls out the cruelty inflicted on elephants in the circus. Samuel, an exceptional acrobat and the only primary character of color, encounters issues of acceptance because of his race. Overall, the tale is sweet and hopeful; but, while a heist is inherently exciting, it never quite reaches a breakneck pace or inspires bated breaths. Still, this historical adventure proves to be another enjoyable title from Rundell. VERDICT A lovely story of friendship and adventure. A general purchase for medium and large libraries, and a natural choice wherever Rundell's other books fly off the shelves.-Taylor Worley, Springfield Public Library, OR