The Thief's Daughter

Alan Marks is one of my favourite illustrators, and this book is beautiful. I also love the story. Magpie knows the village people's opinion of her father doesn't fit with the man she knows to be an honest, hard-working, farmer. Further, people apply their opinion of her father to Magpie, and when she tries to find the rightful owner of a beautiful golden key, she is accused of being a thief herself. I liked that the tension in the story is created in the difference between what the townspeople think and what Magpie knows to be true, and that despite her powerlessness to change people's opinions, she is neither bitter nor maudlin. Right now, my daughter loves the book for its beautiful illustrations and the mysterious ghost woman. I hope that when she is old enough to read it on her own, she will appreciate Magpie's understated bravery and strength of character.