A Bandits Tale The Muddled Misadven..., Deborah Hopkinson
A Bandits Tale The Muddled Misadven..., Deborah Hopkinson
List: $20.00 | Sale: $14.00
Club: $10.00

A Bandit's Tale: The Muddled Misadventures of a Pickpocket

Author: Deborah Hopkinson

Narrator: P.J. Ochlan

Unabridged: 7 hr

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 04/05/2016


Synopsis

From an award-winning author of historical fiction comes a story of survival, crime, adventure, and horses in the streets of 19th century New York City.

Eleven-year-old Rocco is an Italian immigrant who finds himself alone in New York City after he's sold to a padrone by his poverty-stricken parents. While working as a street musician, he meets the boys of the infamous Bandits' Roost, who teach him the art of pickpocketing. Rocco embraces his new life of crime—he's good at it, and it's more lucrative than banging a triangle on the street corner. But when he meets Meddlin' Mary, a strong-hearted Irish girl who's determined to help the horses of New York City, things begin to change. Rocco begins to reexamine his life—and take his future into his own hands.

About The Author

DEBORAH HOPKINSON has written many award-winning author books for children. Her most recent picture book for Schwartz & Wade Books is Beatrix Potter and the Unfortunate Tale of a Borrowed Guinea Pig. Her most recent historical fiction from Knopf is The Great Trouble, A Mystery of London, the Blue Death, and a Boy Called Eel, which has been featured on more than a dozen state award lists and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Visit her online at DeborahHopkinson.com, and follow her on Twitter at @deborahhopkinson. She lives in West Linn, OR.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Rachel

This is the reason kids books exist: a perfect picaresque tale of scrappy, quick-witted Rocco who uses his street-smarts while pitted against the dangers of a new world. New York is perfectly painted and the treatment of animals as well as the cameo by Jacob Riis blend together with a fully realized......more

Tamara listened to this audiobook and wrote this review: Once again another excellent nominee for this year's Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award (the Annual Vermont's Children's Choice Contest). I was very entertained by the Dickens-style story of a young Italian immigrant boy in early 1900s New York Cit......more

Goodreads review by Alex

When it is believed that 11 year-old Rocco Zaccaro has brought shame to his family in their village of Calvello, Italy, he soon finds himself sent to New York City to work for a man his parents believe is honorable. Signor Ancarola is a padrone or patron and promises the Zaccaro's $20. for the next......more

Goodreads review by Art

I thought of Charles Dickens book; "David Cooperfield" & "A Christmas Carol" Laura Ingalls Wilder book, "The Long Winter" & "Hard Winter" by Johnny D. Boggs. Also I thought of my ancestors and their arrival here in America. The Arnolds and the Robbins families came during the Irish potato famine. Reali......more


Quotes

"A strong choice for fans of Rodman Philbrick’s The Mostly True Adventures of Homer P. Figg ​(Scholastic, 2009) and those who enjoy adventures about scrappy and resourceful kids who have to rely on their own smarts and the kindness of strangers to change their lives." —School Library Journal starred review

"A dynamic historical novel ideal for both classroom studies and pleasure reading." —Publishers Weekly starred review


Awards

  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award