Tower of Treasure (Three Thieves)

Gr 4 Up—Fourteen-year-old Dessa is an orphan who witnessed her brother's kidnapping years earlier. Now she is working as an acrobat in a traveling circus, but she still continues to search for her twin and the man who took him. She hopes that she will find them in the royal city of Kingsbridge. Topper the juggler and Fisk the strongman plan to rob the royal treasury, and because Dessa is also desperate for money, she reluctantly joins them. Little does she know how much this one decision is going to change her life. This book contains a lot of action, but there are also numerous instances where readers will want to slow down and think about the story more deeply, as when Dessa has flashbacks about her family. Chantler's illustrations range from sepia-toned images to bright and colorful drawings that are full of life and action. The fantastic cover, featuring the three thieves leaping over rooftops as they try to avoid the arrows being fired at them from below, will definitely draw many readers into this engaging book. The exciting story and excellent illustrations will make Tower of Treasure an especially good choice for reluctant readers.—Andrea Lipinski, New York Public Library