Review Detail

What I loved: The majority of the story takes place within a book that exists mainly in Oliver Nelson's mind. Oliver has taken solace in books in a world where no one reads anymore, and everyone is engaged in using alternate reality eyewear created by the Pribbles. As a result of Oliver being one of the few children left who read, he has drawn the attention of the Pribble's, a couple who are Story Collectors but believe that no child should ever lay their grubby, dirty hands on the books. They believe this so much they developed a machine that eats the stories and wipes them from your mind.

What left me wanting more: Oliver has stolen books from the library, but he always takes ones that are less well-loved and that no one really would wish to, but that leaves him sometimes, like in the case of this book not know how the book ends cause the pages are missing. The missing pages leave us guessing how the book is supposed to end, and we wanted to learn more about what Oliver's imagination can cook up to save the day. I would like to see more of how the Pribble's changed once they realized the error of their ways at the end of the book.

Final Verdict: The thieving collectors of fine children's book contains all the correct elements for a fantastic middle-grade novel. The characters are all well developed and thought out. The villains are cruel and mean but get their just deserts and a chance to redeem themselves. Oliver learns that his imagination can help in a pinch, and the author shines in the uniqueness of the various characters sprinkled throughout the story.