Prosper and Bo are orphans on the run from their cruel aunt and uncle. The brothers decide to hide out in Venice, where they meet a mysterious thirteen-year-old boy who calls himself the "Thief Lord." Brilliant and charismatic, the Thief Lord leads a ring of street children who dabble in petty crimes. Prosper and Bo delight in being part of this colorful new family. But the Thief Lord has secrets of his own. And soon the boys are thrust into circumstances that will lead them to a fantastic, spellbinding conclusion.
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"I actually read this a couple times because I liked it so much. It's very intriguing and really draws you into the story. The book takes place in Venice, and the author does a really great job describing the city in detail. This book is mainly a mystery, and it really keeps you guessing throughout the book. I highly recommend it!"
— Julianna (5 out of 5 stars)
" Really good read, sad at times but compelling, all the characters are well thought out, and the depictions of Venice really made me want to go! "
— Emma, 2/20/2014" 3.5 stars. Slow beginning but really enjoyed the second half! "
— Candace, 2/8/2014" Wonderful! Adventure, interesting round characters, magic, and all the ends tie up neatly. Set in Venice which adds to the enchanted quality. Can't wait to read more of her books! "
— K, 2/1/2014" i liked it but i didn't really like the ending "
— A, 1/7/2014" I could read this book over and over again and I would never get tired. "
— Nadia, 1/1/2014" An Amazing Book, one of the best ones I have ever read! "
— Nina, 12/26/2013" Read this book when I was about 11 and I've never forgotten it. It inspired me to travel to Venice! Beautiful book. "
— Shivaun, 11/23/2013" This is a kids' "chapter book" (to be read aloud to kids) set in Venice, and I found it quite charming -- the children are interesting and so are the adults, and the Venice settings are very evocative and sometimes even spooky, but of course we are insulated from any true danger or tragedy. "
— Trina, 11/22/2013" was ok just ok. i never did finish it. and thought it was a tad boring. "
— Amy, 10/23/2013" I liked this book. It was an intresting tale about sorrow, runaways, and 1 strange boy who claims to be the thief lord.I would tell you more but you'll have to read the book to find out. "
— Takeshi, 10/2/2013" A lovely little tale. Not as compelling as her other works, but true literature none the less. "
— Bonnie, 9/13/2013" one of my absolute favorites from fourth grade :) "
— Emily, 5/12/2013" I loved Inkheart. I liked this book. It started off great, but near the end it just got to the point where it s seemed she wanted to tie it all up but it just ended up with a bunch of knots instead. Kids will like it for sure. "
— Elizabeth, 4/29/2013" An easy read with captivating characters and a plot that kept me reading past my bedtime. "
— Kelli, 3/8/2013" A good creative story. I really want to visit Venice now "
— Michelle, 2/10/2013" Great read for a child 4th-6th grade. Mix of Peter Pan, The Boxcar Children, & Harry Potter. "
— Nikki_g, 9/14/2012" best book from Funke in my opinion. it makes us explore the world from the eye of children (not ordinary children).. in an extremely unique way. "
— Donald, 7/2/2012" I read the German original: Herr der Diebe "
— Malwina, 11/17/2011" very great book set in italy and such a wonderfull book "
— Alexandria, 9/3/2011" At one point in the book, it says something about a statue of the Madonna. (Spelling?) Being in fourth grade, I didn't realise that Cornelia Funke meant Mary, and thought that there was a statue oof the singer Madonna in Venice. :D "
— Rosie, 8/13/2011" Fun book for kids... Its very much Oliver Twist'ish. "
— Ashley, 6/30/2011" well i liked it but i dont think e ending was that well done well i would have done it differently "
— A, 6/29/2011" aawwn! the Thief Lord...a lovely book! I love it from a beggining to an end. I loved the characters, I loved the setting, I loved the plot and I loved everything about it. It was an incredibly amazing book. It actually made me want to go to Venice! It was an amazing book "
— Nadia, 6/28/2011" Cute story, very Oliver Twist with a bit of magic. I loved the Venice setting as well, it sounds much lovelier than 19th century England. "
— Sierra, 6/26/2011" Yet another tale of Peter Pan. Funke does imagine some fine characters, and Simon Jones kept me listening. His rendition of females did irritate me a little bit. "
— Nan, 6/25/2011" Better than "Inkheart", not as great as "Inkspell" and "Inkdeath". "
— Hannah, 6/19/2011" I thought this book was totally lame and wouldn't recommend it to anyone over the age of 8. "
— Devin, 6/14/2011" Awesome read!! When I first read this I was so depressed when I finished it I stop two books because they simply couldn't compare!! "
— Madame, 6/11/2011" Would have scored higher except for the ending. "
— Ray, 6/9/2011" I really like this book. I love the setting and the story line. Another classic novel! "
— Rachel, 6/9/2011" This was a cute story. The little weird fantasy spin on the end threw me off a little and I felt that it was an easy way for the author to wrap up the story. Nevertheless, it wasn't bad. "
— Kerry, 6/8/2011" what a beautiful and exciting story with just the perfect amount of mystery! this is a must read! "
— sebak, 6/7/2011" Sooooo good! I love how in the book you try to think who keeps stealing the stuff but it turns out to be someone totally unexpected. Of course I hate books that are really predictable but this isn't one of them! "
— Sarah, 6/5/2011Cornelia Funke is a multiple award–winning German author, best known for writing the Inkworld trilogy as well as The Thief Lord. The Inkworld books, which have won the 2003 Mildred L. Batchelder Award as well as the 2004 and 2006 BookSense Book of the Year Children’s Literature Awards, have gained incredible attention, and Funke has been dubbed the “German J. K. Rowling.” She currently lives in Los Angeles.
Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author of several books of history. His book Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone was adapted into a History Channel special. He lives in southern California with his wife and sons.