The Story Thief
Bloomsbury Readers Series
What’s inside...
The Story Thief follows the captivating journey of a young protagonist who discovers a magical ancient book with the power to bring stories to life. Characters from the book start emerging into the real world, and the protagonist must navigate the challenges of interacting with them, ensuring they return to their rightful stories while uncovering the secrets of the enchanted book. Meanwhile, in a humorous reworking of traditional Anansi stories from West Africa by Andrew Fusek Peters, Anansi the spider climbs to the sky to fetch all the stories held by Nyame the sky god, to relieve the boredom of people on Earth. This delightful tale is accompanied by whimsical black-and-white illustrations, making it perfect for children developing as readers and is part of the Bloomsbury Readers series which offers a wide range of book-banded stories by award-winning authors.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
6-7
Length
64 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
How would you feel if someone took a story you created? Discuss what makes your stories special to you.
What do you think motivates the Story Thief? Can you think of a better way they might solve their problem?
Which character did you relate to the most and why?
What lessons can we learn about creativity and sharing from 'The Story Thief'?
If you could create an ending for the book, what would happen next?
Tip: Role play these questions
Encourage your child to express their feelings about the book’s events, guiding them to verbalize why they feel a certain way.
Connect the themes of the book to your child's personal experiences with storytelling or when they've felt something was unfairly taken from them.
Discuss the characters' actions and the consequences, prompting your child to consider different choices the characters could have made.
Ask your child to imagine their own creative solutions to the problems presented in the book, enhancing their problem-solving skills.
Read the book together, pausing to ask questions and explore your child’s perspective on the unfolding story.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: The importance of honesty
Explanation: The protagonist in 'The Story Thief' learns the consequences of stealing stories and the value of telling the truth.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this by understanding the importance of honesty in their interactions and the negative repercussions of deceit.
Example Lesson: Respecting others' property
Explanation: The story highlights how taking something that isn't yours can affect not just the owner but also oneself.
Real-World Application: Kids can learn to respect others’ belongings and understand the concept of personal ownership in their daily interactions.
Example Lesson: Creativity and originality
Explanation: As the protagonist navigates the consequences of stealing stories, they learn the joy and value of creating their own original tales.
Real-World Application: This encourages children to value their own ideas and express themselves creatively in school projects or while sharing stories with friends.
Example Lesson: Empathy and understanding
Explanation: The story showcases the protagonist's journey to understanding the impact of their actions on others.
Real-World Application: This lesson helps children develop empathy and consider how their actions affect those around them.