Reading Level: Ages 9-12

Unfortunately, The Thief Lord is being promoted as the next Harry Potter. This is unfortunate be cause it misrepresents the book in several ways and may taint reader reaction because of the expectations such a comparison creates. So let's set the record straight: The Thief Lord is not the next Harry Potter. That is not to say this isn't a very good book. In fact, the quality of the writing is actually better than the Rowling books. Whether this is due to the original German text or the skills of the translator, I do not know.

As far a pedigree goes, the book's tale of a group of lost children fending for themselves in modern day Venice can be more favorably compared to Oliver Twist than to Harry Potter. Where Harry is plot-driven, The Thief Lord is character-driven. Harry moves along at a brisk pace, while The Thief Lord is more leisurely. Rowling deals with themes like love and hate, good and evil, friendship and sacrifice in broad, mythological strokes, while Cornelia Funke works on a smaller, more subtle scale—without the clear cut resolutions of the Potter tales. Finally, The Thief Lord, is a standalone work—it is not a part of a trilogy or series.

The Thief Lord is an excellent read for the slightly more sophisticated reader. It will not have the same broad appeal to boys as the Potter books, but it should have the same adult crossover possibilities. The plot is imaginative and fun, the characters are unexpected and likeable (even the "bad guys"), and the setting is unique and exotic. But, ultimately, The Thief Lord doesn't make our RECOMMENDED list because it doesn't make the emotional connection that Harry Potter does. (That last statement may well be proof that the marketing campaign comparison may actually hurt the book. If I had no expectations before reading the book, would I have thought differently?)

— KB SHAW, Publisher, Spectrum - Member SCBWI