The Grave Thief

January 1, 2022
A 12-year-old grave robber is conscripted as the royal spy. Spade is a Joolie, a member of a traveling people known mostly for theft. Unlike many of their relatives, Spade's family makes their living through robbing graves. When Spade's dad sends him after too valuable a prize, Spade ends up being captured by Queen Carmelia herself. There's not much poor Spade can do when the queen orders him to steal a magical stone from the Moor Mage--Carmelia is keeping Spade's brother captive, and Spade is scared of her henchman, Henchcliff. Against his will, Spade is joined on his quest by the queen's niece, Ember, a redheaded spitfire seemingly modeled on every other ginger girlboss fantasy sidekick. Ember might be a pest, but she's also clever and brave--and she's helpful as Spade learns more about what makes him special. Spade, born with a limp that only appears when he needs a moment of poignant drama, works with Ember to save himself, his little brother, and the kingdom from the terrifying Woegan. The serious drama is peppered with some moments of silliness. All characters read as White in this European-style fantasy world. Unfortunately, the portrayal of swindling, thieving, willfully ignorant Joolies treads extremely close to real-world bigotries about itinerant travelers. Derivative but entertaining. (Fantasy. 9-12)

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Starred review from February 1, 2022

Gr 3-7-Spade Archer Rustle doesn't believe in luck. In Wyndhail, a grave robber born with a bad leg can't exactly afford to rely on anything but his wits, after all. So when his father sends Spade and his younger brother, Benji, behind the Wyndhail castle walls to steal from a baron's freshly dug grave, Spade's not entirely surprised the plan doesn't work. In order to free Benji from the dungeon-and armed with little more than his uncle Malachi's fairy tales and the help of a persistent, adventure-hungry princess named Ember-Spade will have to face the most dreaded beast in the kingdom, the Woegon. Fast-paced and full of magic, this debut is sure to be a smash hit with fantasy and adventure lovers. Readers should come prepared with a box of tissues, however, as there are some tearjerker moments. Main characters are cued as white. VERDICT An easy recommendation for fans of Neil Gaiman, Cornelia Funke, or Sayantani DasGupta. Recommended first purchase.-Kaitlin Frick

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March 1, 2022
Grades 6-8 When a heist goes awry for 12-year-old grave digger Spade, he becomes embroiled in a royal trap that requires him to find the master of a fearsome creature who stalks the castle grounds by night: the Woegon. In atmospheric Wyndhail, Spade and his family put food on their table by selling the jewels they dig up from the dead. Introverted and nocturnal by nature--and invested in his role that often allows him to hide his limp from prying eyes--Spade soon finds himself sucked into the castle mystery. When Miss Ember, the queen's niece, complicates matters by unexpectedly joining his quest, they must learn to cooperate in order to save those they love, and together they discover that the graveyard holds more secrets than they ever imagined. Hahn's poignant messages about courage, loss, and forging new friendships are wrapped in an action-packed shell, bound to excite readers who would love Neil Gaiman's The Graveyard Book (2008) crossed with medieval fantasy.

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