THE THIEF LORD by Cornelia Funke List Price: $6.99 Pages: 376 Format: Paperback ISBN: 043942089X Publisher: Chicken House, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.

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 13-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 and readers to a fantastic, spellbinding conclusion.

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1. Prosper, Bo, and their friends are all orphans. But why do they all choose to live on their own? What are the advantages of their lifestyle? What are its potential dangers? What other options do they have? How was Ida raised when she was an orphan girl?

2. By the end of THE THIEF LORD, the characters have chosen different paths. Why did Mosca and Riccio ultimately turn down Ida's hospitality? Why did Barbarossa yearn to be adopted by Esther Hartlieb when Prosper and Bo wanted nothing to do with her?

3. Explore how Cornelia Funke integrates magic and fantasy into the real-world setting of Venice.

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"The magical city of Venice, with its moonlit waters, maze of canals, and magnificent palaces, is an excellent setting for the plot twists and turns in this fantasy/mystery/adventure, all rolled into one spellbinding story."

—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

© Copyright 2004 by Cornelia Funke. Reprinted with permission by Chicken House, an imprint of Scholastic, Inc.. All rights reserved.

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