My little thief /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Mischief and everyday magic combine in this unforgettable story of friendship between a curious girl with a rich imagination and a winged thief with a very big heart.



Chloe loves many things--bugs, the dark, and especially broken or forgotten objects. But she doesn't seem to care for birds. When a mischievous crow appears in her backyard, Chloe steps out of her comfort zone and offers the curious creature a bite of her lunch. In return, Crow brings Chloe a beautiful button. Inspired by a true account of an unexpected friendship between a young girl and a crow, this thoughtful story explores misunderstandings and the value of everyday treasures.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Publishers Weekly Review

A comically tricky interspecies friendship marks this uneven picture book, a children's debut from Burroughs (Running with Scissors, for adults). While eating lunch in her backyard, young Chloe, who's shown with red hair and pale skin, notices an inordinately attentive crow, "so black and shiny he looked like glass." Chloe's no fan of birds, but the two embark on an extended exchange of tokens when, with a stomp of its claw, Crow seems to request a bite of the child's sandwich. Chloe offers Crow food and soft yarn scraps; Crow brings Chloe bric-a-brac including "a bottle cap, and a purple ribbon just long enough to fit around her wrist." But one of the bird's gifts, a bright turquoise earring, lands Chloe in hot water when a classmate says it was appropriated from a bathroom windowsill. Is it theft--or just a crow being a crow? An extended catalog of Chloe's traits and backstory gets the story off to a slow start, but Crow's entrance energizes the lines, and mixed-media, cartoon animation--style art by Lui (ABC of Feelings) develops Chloe's individuality and openness to the world around her. Ages 4--8. Author's agent: Christopher Schelling, Selectric Artists. Illustrator's agent: Nicole Tugeau, Tugeau 2. (Mar.)

Booklist Review

Young Chloe is confident in her taste. She likes cupcakes, books, and striped leggings. Chloe dislikes sunburns, lightning storms, and birds, though her opinion on the latter wavers after she encounters a curious crow on the edge of the woods. She shares her sandwich with the bird, and when she returns the next day, the crow presents her with a shiny button pin. Delighted, Chloe continues sharing her snacks, and the crow responds with gifts of assorted objects. But trouble comes when someone notices that a gifted earring was stolen from her grandmother. Chloe returns the jewelry, but no one believes her about the mischievous crow, so she sets out to prove that her bird friend is real. The delightfully quirky tale, inspired by a real news story, is full of sweet surprises, and both Chloe and the crow are well developed. Playful mixed-media illustrations are expressive and detailed, wonderfully conveying both human and crow high jinks. An irresistible avian adventure that will have readers seeking out amicable bird allies of their own.

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Augusten Burroughs is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of: Running with Scissors , Dry , Magical Thinking: True Stories , Possible Side Effects , A Wolf at the Table , and You Better Not Cry . Augusten's writing has appeared in magazines and newspapers around the world including the New York Times and New York Magazine . He was twice named to Entertainment Weekly 's "The 25 Funniest People in America." His books have been translated into over 40 languages and a movie adaptation of his memoir Dry is in production. He lives with several pets in a 200-year-old house beside a river in Connecticut. This is his first book for children. Bonnie Lui is the author and illustrator of ABC of Feelings . In addition to creating books, she works in television animation. Bonnie has a cat, Tibbs, who inspires her to be body positive; one thousand hungry worms for composting; and a room full of hobbies including weird cooking experiments and amigurumi dolls. She invites you to visit her online at bonnielui.com.