A Thief in the Village: And Other Stories

by James Berry

Book Overview

A moving collection of stories from an award-winning author. Gustas is nearly killed in the hurricane, trying to save his banana tree; Nenna and her brother Man-Man patrol the coconut plantation in the dead of night, ready to catch interlopers; Becky longs for a bicycle and Fanso longs to find his father who walked out thirteen years ago. This is a wonderfully atmospheric collection of contemporary short stories that bring James Berry's Caribbean childhood vividly to life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0140343571
• ISBN13: 9780140343571
• Release Date: February 1990
• Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
• Length: 148 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.1" x 7.8"
• Age Range: 10 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 5 and higher

Customer Reviews

Great Book for Young Readers

I read this back in 1990 when I was in grade school. These stories stories are so vivid that they make you feel as though you can smell/hear the ocean. Most of them are about kids who live austere lives, but want some trivial material thing (like a harmonica) and go to great lengths to get it. I'd recommend it for any 12 year old who hates reading. I hated reading at that age, but I loved this book.

perfect, no frills, and non-pretentious

I read this in 1991 at age 12. It was perfect. These kids live in jamaica, hot and muggy and looking like the typical carribean island. But there home was once a Brittish colony. They struggle between two cultures; the relaxed west indian mannerisms, and the stiff ones the Brits left behind. A must-read for all school children in the US.