"You really are the Thief Lord," the stranger said softly. "Well, keep your mask on if you don’t want to show your face. I can see that you are very young anyway."

The Thief Lord is the mysterious leader of a gang of children in Venice, whom he supports by selling the loot from his raids. No one knows his name or his origin. Not even Prosper and Bo, two runaways who have found refuge with the gang while fleeing from their aunt and the detective Victor. When Victor actually gets on the trail of the children, he puts everyone in danger. But it seems that the bond of the gang is truly at risk of breaking when a mysterious assignment from the enigmatic Conte leads the children to a lagoon island. This island, appearing deserted and lonely from the outside, holds a secret that changes everything.

Cornelia Funke, who demonstrated the breadth of her storytelling talent with her bestselling title "Dragon Rider," captivates her readers—regardless of age—from the very first line with this book as well. She takes us through a wintry Venice, entangles us in confusing puzzles, and fulfills her hero an ancient dream of humanity in the end.

Awarded the Kalbacher Klapperschlange in 2001.