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AROUND THE WORLD IN 100 DAYS

Name: AROUND THE WORLD IN 100 DAYS
Author: Gary Blackwood
ISBN: 978-0-525-42295-2

by Gary Blackwood ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2010

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It’s 1891, and young Harry Fogg’s obsession with automobiles has landed him in jail. His father, Phileas Fogg, and mother, Aouda, long for Harry to settle down and adopt a gentlemanly profession. When Harry lands in more hot water—wagering at his club that he can circle the globe by automobile in 100 days—Phileas finances the trip on the proviso that if Harry loses he will give up tinkering with cars. Accompanied by Johnny, friend and automotive genius, Charles, whose father is betting against Harry, and Elizabeth, journalist and proto-feminist, Harry sets off in his state-of-the-art, steam-powered car. Like his father, he’ll face daunting challenges both technical and human, including the presence of a saboteur. Blackwood retains what’s best from Around the World in 80 Days, by that forefather of steampunk, Jules Verne—the lighthearted humor, race against time, loyal friends and devious foes—while dropping the Eurocentrism; Harry’s mixed-race heritage and adventures in a world on the cusp of social upheaval provide a subtle contemporary subtext. The synthesis makes for a thrilling, thoroughly road-worthy joy ride. (Historical fiction. 10 & up)

Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-525-42295-2

Page Count: 368

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2010

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HISTORICAL FICTION | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
CURIOSITY
by Gary Blackwood

- BOOK REVIEW
MYSTERIOUS MESSAGES
by Gary Blackwood

- BOOK REVIEW
THE GREAT RACE
by Gary Blackwood

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THE SCHOOL FOR THIEVES

From the School for Thieves series , Vol. 1

by Peter Burns ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 26, 2025

A thrilling first installment in an adventurous new series.

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An orphaned street urchin is recruited into an elite school for thieves.

In an alternate world where France is the dominant world power, 13-year-old Tom Morgan has had to scrimp, starve, and steal on the streets of London to survive. Born into a workhouse, he doesn’t know anything about his father, while his mother may have been from North Africa. One thing he does know is the sort of cruelty that awaits the poor who are sent to the workhouse, and he’s determined not to go back. But when their camp is raided and his friends are captured by workhouse agents, the only thing Tom can think of is how to get them out. Enter the Corsair, a cunning and mysterious man with a proposition: He wants to recruit Tom into Beaufort’s School for Deceptive Arts. From nabbing treasures to forging identity papers, Beaufort’s promises to teach Tom everything he needs to know to become a Shadow Thief and a member of the Shadow League, the secret global organization that helps keep the world’s political power in balance. But Beaufort’s has its own rules and secrets, and if Tom is to survive long enough to help his friends, he’ll need to figure them out quickly. Clever and gripping, this fast-paced boarding school story will appeal to fans of the Mysterious Benedict Society and Spy School series.

A thrilling first installment in an adventurous new series. (Adventure. 10-14)