Pilfer Academy: A School So Bad It's Criminal | TheBookSeekers

Pilfer Academy: A School So Bad It's Criminal


No. of pages 272

Published: 2016

Great for age 12-18 years

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George has never heard of Pilfer Academy, a top-secret school for training young thieves, until he's kidnapped as its newest student. The teachers are kooky at best, and "naughty" does not even begin to cover 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 when George is forced to steal something from a child, he's faced with an awful truth: He can't do it. Despite his talents, George is just too good to be a thief. But finders keepers losers weepers at Pilfer Academy, because not thieving is not an option, and "misbehaving" students face Dean Deanbugle's favourite 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 colours not as thieves, but as kind-hearted (and, okay, mischievous) kids.

 

 

There are 272 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2016 by Penguin Putnam Inc .

Lauren Magaziner recently graduated from Hamilton College. She lives in Brooklyn, New York and works in children's publishing. This is her first book.

 

Praise for Pilfer Academy

"Magaziner creates another weird and silly world that mirrors Hogwarts without the magic...A fun fantasy romp."--Kirkus Reviews

 

 

"Humorous and engaging. This is an ideal choice for readers who wish boarding school books had a little more mischief."--Booklist

 

 

"School-story buffs with a taste for absurd, off-kilter humor will find this a welcome addition to the mix."--BCCB

Praise for The Only Thing Worse Than Witches

*"Combines Roald Dahl's Witches and Louis Sachar's Wayside School....readers will banish themselves from the ordinary world to finish this book in a flash."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"A rollicking tale...first-time novelist Lauren Magaziner fashions a rich and compelling alternative reality."--The Chicago Tribune

"Magaziner's debut has echoes of Dahl's Matilda... a fun, frothy story that will, well, charm its readers."--Publishers Weekly

"Mrs. Frabbleknacker is as awful as her name, with antics reminiscent of scenes from Louis Sachar's Sideways Stories from Wayside School gone wrong."--School Library Journal

 

 

"Ideal for middle-grade readers who love Roald Dahl's Matilda (1988) and enjoy humor with their fantasy, this debut novel is madcap and fantastical. It's the perfect thing for kids not quite ready for Diane Duane or Madeleine L'Engle."--Booklist

"The kids' slowly forming friendship has real grace and authenticity...Eva Ibbotson fans will appreciate the quirky humor."--BCCB

"This hilarious, light-hearted debut would be a great read-aloud for middle grade classrooms."--Library Media Connection