Local author Sarah Prineas has struck gold with The Magic Thief, the first book in the children’s series by the same name. In a setting that brings to mind Dickensian London, the young thief Conn pickpockets the local magicalus of a powerful magician Nevery Flingas. Intrigued that Conn is not killed by such an act, Flingas takes on Conn as an apprentice magician. Equally drawn to magic and the solid meals the lovable house-thug Bennett provides, Conn undertakes to make a go of it. While he has survived on the streets by thieving, Conn has a strong moral code that draws him into the mystery of who or what is trying to steal the magic from Wellmet City. A well-paced story with delightful characters and setting, The Magic Thief is hard to put down. Conn is a flawed hero, but one I was routing for every step of the way. While there are many motifs from other fantasy books, it’s truly an original and engaging story. --Andrea

From ICPL Staff Picks Blog