Pilfer Academy
by Lauren Magaziner
Feb. 16, 2016
Dial Books
Troublemaking George has never heard of Pilfer Academy, a top-secret school for cultivating young crooks, until he's kidnapped as its newest student. The teachers are kooky at best, and naughty does not even begin to describe his sneaky, smart, and morally bankrupt new classmates. Between disguise classes, cracking safes, and DIY gadgets, George becomes an expert bandit and finds true friendship with Tabitha, his new partner-in-crime. But everything is ruined when George comes to a shocking realization: He is just too good-hearted to be a thief!
Unfortunately, not thieving is not an option at Pilfer Academy, and "misbehaving" students face Dean Deanbuggle's favorite punishment—the Whirlyblerg! In order to gain their freedom, George and Tabitha must pull the biggest heist the school has ever seen and reveal their true colors not as thieves, but as kind (and, okay, mischievous) kids.
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Praise for Pilfer Academy
"Magaziner creates another weird and silly world that mirrors Hogwarts without the magic. . . A fun fantasy romp."--Kirkus Reviews
"School-story buffs with a taste for absurd, off-kilter humor will find this a welcome addition to the mix." -The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books
Only the very best young thieves, crooks, and criminals in the making can attend Pilfer Academy, and naughty George has just been kidnapped as its newest student. At Pilfer Academy stealing is an art form and George soon discovers that many of his peers are true artists with no guilt for the pilfering they commit. A a rather mischievous and misbehaving boy, George enjoys his quirky classes, wacky teachers, and time at Pilfer Academy, but quickly learns that he’s just not cut out for the thieving lifestyle. With his new BFF’s help, George sets out to escape from Pilfer Academy, but can he get past Dean Dean Deanbuggle and his horrifying Whirlyblerg?!
Lauren Magaziner’s Pilfer Academy: A School So Bad It’s Criminal, is a wildly funny and zany romp through the world of thievery! With a charming and firecracker-like voice, Magaziner spins a larger than life tale that’s a perfect mix of humor, adventure, and heart. The grand, very large Gothic mansion, that is home to Pilfer Academy, is a wondrous and captivating place, especially since EVERYTHING inside it (including the students!) has been stolen, filched, pilfered, borrowed with no intention of returning...even the mansion itself has been stolen from France! Every nook, cranny, corner, and spare alcove, is bursting with an array of stolen items and artifacts, from the amazing to the downright bizarre.
Magaziner’s storytelling and voice in Pilfer Academy is very reminiscent of Roald Dahl books, where the wit zings, the odd and weird quickly become the norm, and every page is full of unexpected and colorful imagination. And like many of Dahl’s books, the adult characters in Pilfer Academy prove to be not-so-bright, but oh so entertaining wackadoodles, that allow the younger characters to shine. Pilfer Academy is full of precocious, engaging, and interesting youngsters.
Young readers will have a blast attending intriguing classes with George, delight in the oddball antics of the teachers, and be enthralled with the surprises-around-every-corner mansion.
my final thoughts: Pilfer Academy is kooky, quirky, wacky, whimsical fun that will leave readers laughing and thoroughly entertained.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lauren Magaziner recently graduated from Hamilton College. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. Her debut novel, The Only Thing Worse Than Witches, released from Dial/Penguin in August 2014. Her second middle grade book, Pilfer Academy, released on February 16, 2016.
Win a copy of Pilfer Academy!
-US only
-ends 4/3/16
-one winner will get a copy from Penguin
I have this book on hold in the library for my daughter. Just waiting for the library to say that it came in , so I could pass it along to her because I am sure she will love it!
ReplyDeleteI just put a list together of book's set at a school or academy. Hoping this one has some interesting teachers, classes.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like an intriguing sort of story.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely going on my to-read list. Aeicha, how do you manage to find so many wonderful authors?
ReplyDeleteHooray for Pilfer Academy~ Lauren is the best!
ReplyDeleteI'd say this is a must-buy for my library!
ReplyDeleteI love the premise of this book.
ReplyDelete