13-year-old Gabriel is a brilliant pickpocket, a skill which he uses to keep his often-empty belly not quite so empty. And then one day, he’s caught.
But instead of being arrested, he is invited by the mysterious Caspian Crook to attend Crookhaven – a school for thieves. At Crookhaven, students are trained in lock-picking, forgery and ‘crim-nastics’, all with the intention of doing good out in the world, by conning the bad and giving back to the innocent. But can you ever really trust a thief?
With a school-wide competition to be crowned Top Crook and many mysteries to uncover, Gabriel’s first year at Crookhaven will be one to remember…
Author J.J Arcanjo does a fantastic job with the premise of his debut middle grade series, hooking the readers in from the first line. When Gabriel Avery’s parents abandoned him, all they left him was a 2p coin. Left to live with his Grandma, Gabe uses his talent for thievery to put food on the table. But his talent hasn’t gone unnoticed and he soon finds himself in a boarding school for all things criminal.
However, there are three principles that the students learn at Crookhaven:
Lie. But never lie to yourself.
Cheat. But never cheat your friends.
Steal. But never steal from those in need.
This is a school of outcasts, much in the way of Wednesday’s Nevermore. Crookhaven offers Gabe an opportunity to finally make friends and the vibrant and unique cast of characters are a delight. I particularly enjoyed the light-hearted comic relief from hacker brothers, Ade and Ede. Young readers will absolutely love following Gabe and his crew of multi-talented misfits.
Arcanjo cooks up an entertaining blend of everything to love about middle-grade fiction: a detective style mystery plot, action, drama and witty humour. The most interesting part was that despite being all about swindlers and thieves, ultimately, this novel is all about learning the skills to ‘put the world right’. With a fascinating setting and an awesome mystery that ripples beneath the surface, Crookhaven: The School for Thieves is unputdownable!
This is an irresistible series about chosen family, high stakes thievery, and what it really means to do good. It’ll be the perfect read for kids aged 9+ who are fans of M.G. Leonard and Anthony Horowitz.
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