Stole My Attention!

What do you get when you cross the Da Vinci Code, National Treasure, and Ocean's Eleven in a Young Adult Stew? Heist Society, by Ally Carter! I won't lie, I was turned off by the title- a bit to corny- but the picture made me think of Audrey Hepburn, so I gave it a shot. This was one instance where judging a book by its cover worked out for me!

Kat has left the life. Her father, her great uncle, her cousins, even her family friends are all thieves: con artists, pickpockets, art thieves, jewel thieves- you name it, they can steal it. But Kat wants to live a straight life, so she enrolls (aka cons) her way into boarding school until her long-time billionaire, friend (also a thief), Hale sets her up for an incident involving the headmaster's car and the school fountain which gets her kicked out. hale didn't do this just for fun, though; Kat's father was in trouble. A very evil man had his five prized paintings stolen, and he is sure Kat's father is responsible. Now Kat, Hale, and a merry band of misfit teenaged crooks must find the paintings to save Kat from a very bad man and his gang of thugs.

This story is very interesting, peppered with hilarious antics of supporting characters. Two of the crew, brothers Hamish and Angus, have me laughing from the moment they hit the stage until the very last page. Kat herself is a strong young woman who will go to great lengths to protect her family- even breaking into the most secure museum ever with only 6 other teens as her crew, despite the explicit instructions not to get involved from her father and her uncle. She isn't sure what she wants anymore in regards to "the life", but she knows how much her family means to her!

This is a great book for middle school and early high school students, but the characters and action-packed fun are perfect for low-skilled older students. They won't be burdened by a high reading level, but won't be insulted by a watered-down, hokey story. This was a fun story that ends well, but has a sequel on the way. If you have a student who needs some action to keep them going and would benefit from a fun story to hook them, this is a great choice! And don't let the cover fool you- this would be a good story for boys or girls!