THE THIEF LORD is set in the city of Venice, Italy. The story begins with a detective named Victor Getz who takes on the job of finding two runaway boys. The two boys Prosper 12 and Boniface (Bo) 5 have runaway from Hamburg, Germany to avoid their eminent separation from each other by the hands of their aunt and uncle, the Hartliebs.  The boys have chosen to run away to Venice because of the many wonderful stories told to them by their recently deceased mother. When they arrive in the city, they are greeted with the realization that they have no way to survive.

They soon meet up with a band of street children and they soon become their own tight knit family. They all live in an abandoned movie theatre thanks to their benefactor the Thief Lord also known as Scipio. All the while, detective Getz is hot on the trail of the boys.  There are several attempts to retrieve the boys, but to no avail, Getz is unsuccessful. The children have been surviving with the wares given to them by Scipio and by occasionally pick pocketing tourists in the city.   

The Lord Thief receives a proposal from a wealthy Conte that would set the gang of children up for life. The Thief Lord must steal a wooden wing from an artist named Ida Spavento. The theft is unsuccessful, but the children warm the heart of the owner Ida and they soon form a plan to find the magical merry go round in which the wing once belonged. The gang soon has the detective Victor Getz on their side and they set off on adventurous twists and turns attempting to discover the magic of the merry go round.

Funke brings a unique set of characters together of all types of backgrounds, rich and poor, young and old, German and Italian, and boys and girls.  The gang of children have distinct physical as well as mental differences.  Riccio has hedgehog like hair and a tough street guy attitude, Mosca has beautiful black skin and a curiosity for the world, and Hornet has a love of books and is the only girl in the gang. The Lord Thief, Scipio is from a wealthy family and is educated and well cultured. Although the characters are from varied backgrounds, they have united to become one family.

This award winning book although adventurous and unique in its setting, lacks an even pace of plot development. The story became fast paced in the second half of the book.  It was very easy to get bored in the first half. With its numerous plots and story lines going at once, you become hungry for the main plot to thicken. The concept of children living on their own in the beautiful city of Venice will catch a child's interest. The book's map of Venice help bring the numerous streets and canals in perspective to the story. This book should be read by students in upper grades.