It's a Hard-Knock Life: Stories of Orphans

This week, I'm sharing chapter book stories featuring orphans . . . .

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
Raised to be a thief, blind orphan Peter Nimble, age ten, steals from a mysterious stranger three pairs of magical eyes, that lead him to a hidden island where he must decide to become a hero or resume his life of crime.

The Magician's Elephant by Kate DiCamillo
When ten-year-old orphan Peter Augustus Duchene encounters a fortune teller in the marketplace one day and she tells him that his sister, who is presumed dead, is in fact alive, he embarks on a remarkable series of adventures as he desperately tries to find her.

Earwig and the Witch by Diana Wynne Jones
Although an orphan, Earwig has always enjoyed living at St. Morwald's, where she manages to make everyone do her bidding, but when she is taken in by a foster parents who are actually a witch and a demon, she has a hard time trying to turn the situation to her advantage.

The Willoughbys by Lois Lowry
In this tongue-in-cheek take on classic themes in children's literature, the four Willoughby children set about to become "deserving orphans" after their neglectful parents embark on a treacherous around-the-world adventure, leaving them in the care of an odious nanny.


More Tales of Orphans --
Audacity Jones to the Rescue by Kirby Larson
Baker's Magic by Diane Zahler
Bubble by Stewart Foster
The Door by the Staircase by Katherine Marsh
The False Prince by Jennifer Nielsen
Fast Break by Mike Lupica
Greetings from Witness Protection! by Jake Burt
The League of Beastly Dreadfuls by Holly Grant
A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Mechanical Mind of John Coggin by Elinor Teele
The Orphan and the Mouse by Russell Freedman
Unhooking the Moon by Gregory Hughes
Wanderville by Wendy McClure
When Mischief Came to Town by Katrina Nannestad

Check these books out on display at the Arnold Branch through June 22, 2018.

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier

Peter Nimble is an blind orphan that has been forced into a life as a thief by his guardian Mr. Seamus.  One afternoon after picking the locks on a mysterious carriage, Peter is spirited away on an adventure to save the Lost Kingdom.  It is an adventure involving talking animals, a desert full of traitors, an evil king, and a box full of magical eyes.  It is an adventure that can only be taken by the greatest thief in the world . . . Peter Nimble!

This is a fantastic book for everybody to read.  The character of Peter Nimble is the perfect hero who is unsure of himself while still wanting to save the day.  It would be a great read for those who enjoyed the Peter and the Starcatchers books.

This book is also available on audio.

Stop! Thief!

Stories of thievery are very exciting.  Whether a character who has to steal an object for survival or kids trying to stop a theft from taking place, these stories are thrilling.  Here are some great chapter books featuring thieves . . .

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
Gen flaunts his ingenuity as a thief and relishes the adventure which takes him to a remote temple of the gods where he will attempt to steal a precious stone.

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
Raised to be a thief, blind orphan Peter Nimble, age ten, steals from a mysterious stranger three pairs of magical eyes, that lead him to a hidden island where he must decide to become a hero or resume his life of crime.

Clueless McGee by Jeff Mack
Through a series of letters to his father, a private investigator, fifth-grader PJ "Clueless" McGee tells of his efforts to discover who stole macaroni and cheese from the school cafeteria.

More Books About Thievery --

Atlantis Rising by T.A. Barron

Code of Silence by Tim Shoemaker

Framed by Gordon Korman

Highway Robbery by Kate Thompson

Madhattan Mystery by John J. Bonk

The Map to Everywhere by Carrie Ryan

Museum of Thieves by Lian Tanner

Ottoline and the Yellow Cat by Chris Riddell

Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief by Wendelin Van Draanen

The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke

Tracking Daddy Down by Marbeth Kelsey

The Vengekeep Prophecies by Brian Farrey