Review by New York Times Review
when YOU'RE 12, it's hard enough to figure out who you are and where you belong without the added anxiety of being the son of an American diplomat. This is the predicament facing Charlie Fisher, the protagonist of Colin Meloy's "The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid," whose mother, a German heiress and actress, sent him to live with his father when he was 7 after deciding "she had grown very tired of being a mother." Though, technically, it was the housemaid who packed his bags and kissed his forehead, one of a small army of servants who populate Charlie's so-called glamorous life. He's hopped from one gilded world to the next, from Bombay to Zurich to Hong Kong, before landing in 1961 in Marseille, where the bulk of the novel takes place. Where does young Charlie fit in? Certainly not with the offspring of the international aristocracy, a bunch of spoiled whiners and bullies who dismiss the American-born Charlie as a commoner, and whom Charlie regards as "the grossest forms of humanity." Nor are there soulmates at school - the lonely preteen is privately tutored in his honeysuckle and ivy-shrouded villa. Meloy, who is also the singer and songwriter for the Decemberists (and the author of the middle-grade trilogy the Wildwood Chronicles), is adept at tapping into the longing and loneliness of a 12-year-old. But this novel's poor-little-rich-kid plot doesn't last long. Charlie's adventure in self-discovery kicks into gear early on, in Marseille's bustling, tourist-packed town square. Innocently imagining the back stories of tourists for a creative writing lesson, Charlie is approached by Amir, a scrappy Artful Dodger type, who opens his eyes to the real action playing out before him. Where once "the plaza had appeared to Charlie like a field of clover: placid, unexceptional... now his vision had focused and he could see the legion of bees that were harvesting that clover of its rich nectar." He's awakened to the underground world of the Whiz Mob, a legendary gang of child grifters with its own language and even its own apocryphal-sounding school on top of a mountain in Colombia called the School of Seven Bells. They call themselves "class cannons," and they are busy "fronting their marks," "skinning the pokes," "kicking back the okus" - there's a glossary at the back to help you decode it all - and fulfilling their obligations as members of the gang. (Meloy explains in the introduction that the inspiration for the Whiz Mob was a New Yorker profile of the real-life pickpocket/magician/entertainer Apollo Robbins.) Rebellion-ready Charlie finds himself on the seedier side of Marseille, practicing the finer points of pickpocketing on a makeshift mannequin before officially being "on the whiz" himself. Living two lives is easier than Charlie thinks, because the senior Fisher is relieved by his son's burgeoning self-confidence. Meloy is fond of breaking the fourth wall Lemony Snicket-style: "Was he being lax in his parenting? Knowing what we know (and we know quite a lot), that answer is a definite yes. However, if you had any experience navigating the complexities of parenting (and maybe you do), you would know that any parent is loath to question their child when that child is happy. And Charlie was happy. " These voicey interjections are thankfully not overwhelming. Aided by Carson Ellis's whimsical line illustrations, the book moves at a rapid clip as Charlie sets about proving himself to the Whiz Mob, even if he's not entirely squared with the mission. When one kid says they are out to "right the imbalances" and "take the rich folks down a peg," it's only a matter of time before the righting of imbalances will hit home. That tension is what gets you through detailed play-byplays of theatrical thievery. The fun of this book is how Meloy mirrors his characters' capers, distracting you while he moves in for the real con. It's a bona fide twist that may make you feel robbed yourself. In this case, that's a good thing. JENNY ROSENSTRACH is the author of three books, including "Dinner: A Love Story," based on her blog of the same name.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 12, 2017]
Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* There's a lot to be said for a good old-fashioned caper, especially one that pads out its excitement with substance, of all things. Meloy, who made a splash with his Wildwood Chronicles, accomplishes this rare feat with panache, turning out an infectious and at times cinematic adventure suffused with personal growth, secrecy, slight of hand, and higher stakes than the story's protagonist ever imagined. Set in Marseille, France, 1961, the narrative zooms in on Charlie Fisher, a 12-year-old suffering from a touch of ennui. The son of an American consul, Charlie lives a privileged life, to be sure, but also a lonely one. That changes one afternoon when he observes a group of kids expertly pick a man's pocket, and discovers one of his own belongings has been nicked at the same time. Circumstances lead to Charlie's induction into this group of thieves, dubbed a whiz mob, who take Charlie under their wing and start teaching him the ropes getting him on the whiz, as it were. Charlie has never been happier. Having never related to the prestigious progeny princes, princesses, and the like thrust upon him by his father, Charlie is elated by the genuine connection he feels with this diverse, criminally inclined group, particularly his new friend Amir. This isn't Fagin's ragtag pickpocket crew, however; the whiz mob is a highly trained outfit (they attended a secret school!), with members ranging from nine years old to their early teens, that knows how to pull off a long con as easily as it can lift a wallet from your britch kick. (That's right, britch kick.) Another joy of this novel exists in its use of language. Drawing from David W. Maurer's Whiz Mob: A Correlation of the Technical Argot of Pickpockets with Their Behavior Pattern (1955), Meloy equips the whiz mob with authentic pickpocket slang that effectually functions as coded speech a detail sure to delight kids enamored by the clandestine. For instance, declaring a tie pin without a diamond worthless goes something like this: A stickpin prop ain't nothing but shag if it's not got ice in it. Clearly the reader, as well as Charlie, will need an assist when it comes to deciphering such statements, and what isn't translated in the text can handily be found in the book's glossary. Meloy also raises the bar in terms of standard vocabulary, which will no doubt lead to a pinched dictionary or two, but this enhances rather than impedes the reading experience. Before you start thinking that this is a book exclusively for readers with a capital R, it's important to stress how much fun it is. The narration becomes conspiratorial at times, speaking directly to readers and transporting them to different places or times in order to fill in plot details. So, too, the action and spirit of camaraderie will sweep them along, especially once Charlie's actions produce suspense-riddled consequences. Ellis, meanwhile, adds her own charm to the tale, adorning it with clean-lined graphite-pencil illustrations. These range from detailed scenes to cheeky portraits of whiz mob members that could almost serve as posters for their organization, if it weren't a secret one. Though not all interior art was seen at the time of this review, the available illustrations perfectly convey the gang's moxie. Underlying the racket that's the pickpocket life, to you is Charlie's desire to belong and be valued as himself. His experiences with the whiz mob allow him to explore his identity and take stock of what he has, though it means putting his relationships with his father and Amir through the wringer. If only personal journeys could be as simple as drifting through the streets of Marseille, though they can be just as profitable. Charlie emerges a more confident and daring young man than he began, and this is easily the biggest score of all.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Meloy and Ellis (the Wildwood Chronicles) blend shades of Dickens, Rowling, and Robin Hood in the idiosyncratic tale of a 12-year-old American boy in 1960s Marseille. Charlie Fisher is the son of the American consul general and has bounced from country to country with his father after his mother, a German heiress/actress, decided she was done with parenting. This itinerant lifestyle leaves Charlie bereft of true friends until he saves a Lebanese boy, Amir, from being picked up by the police. Amir introduces Charlie to a world of pickpockets and grifting via the Whiz Mob of Marseille, a group of children and teens, graduates of an elite Colombian academy, the School of Seven Bells. What begins as a lark and a way to make friends quickly turns into something sinister, challenging Charlie's perceptions of the world. Themes of friendship and making amends are skillfully woven throughout. Although the ending is abrupt, the novel's extravagant vocabulary and Meloy's attention to detail vividly evoke the period setting and will reward ambitious readers. Art not seen by PW. Ages 8-12. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 5-8-Charlie Fisher lives with his neglectful diplomat father in Marseille, France, in 1961. Outside of the time he spends with his tutor, Charlie wiles away his hours alone-until the day he observes a group of child pickpockets at work and realizes he's been one of their marks. Instead of being angered by this, Charlie is curious. After following the boy who stole his pen and saving him from the police, Charlie asks Amir to teach him how to be pick pockets too. The more Charlie learns about the group, known as the whiz mob, the more he feels like he's finally found some friends and a place to belong. But as Charlie gets pulled further into their world, he discovers that this is no ordinary band of thieves. The whiz mob originates at the School of Seven Bells in Colombia, where all the group members were trained and tested. The whiz mob he knows is only one of many located all over the globe. Charlie's relationship with the mob changes dramatically when his new hobby suddenly has global implications and he finds that those he considers his friends may not have his best interests at heart. Meloy offers detailed descriptions of both Marseille and the young thieves. The unusual vocabulary makes the glossary at the end a necessity for understanding whiz mob dialogue. VERDICT With equal doses of humor and action, this is likely to attract a fairly wide range of voracious readers, especially fans of Meloy's "Wildwood Chronicles."-Heidi Grange, Summit Elementary School, Smithfield, UT © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
In 1961 Marseille, France, twelve-year-old Charlie witnesses children working together as pickpockets, and he becomes an active participant in their schemes. Charlie's worlds collide when the Whiz Mob gang works a Big Tip--a gala at which his American diplomat father is an important guest. Fans of the more fantastical Wildwood Chronicles will appreciate this clever caper's similarly witty, self-aware narrative voice and personality-filled pencil illustrations. Glos. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Charlie, the shy son of an American diplomat in France, discovers a thrilling, dangerous underworld whose young denizens prey on the unsuspecting elite of 1961 Marseille. Watching Amir, a gifted young pickpocket, in action, the 12-year-old white boy is impressed and, after helping him avoid arrest, asks Amir to teach him his trade. With Amir's support, Charlie is admitted to his gang, the multiracial Whiz Mob of Marseille: kids who hail from Lebanon, the U.S., Europe, Japan, and Africa. In their lair under a derelict bar, the mob plots elaborate heists, targeting the wealthy where they congregate. Neglected by his estranged parents (German heiress mother, remote Anglo dad), Charlie's thrilled to belong. But the deeper he's drawn in, the higher the stakes become, culminating in a perilous journey to the remote School of Seven Bells in Colombia. Meloy takes his time moving pieces on his elaborate chessboard, describing the vivid scenery, human and otherwise, and introducing characters whose dialogue is adorned with colorful pickpocket argot (glossary provided). Patient readers are rewarded as Charlie is pulled into the whiz mob and suspense mounts. Even then the omniscient narrator will interrupt with comments on authorial choices: Charlie refuses a glass of champagne, readers are told, to meet the expectations of librarians and booksellers. Ellis' charming illustrations (finished art not seen) adeptly capture the playful tone and decidedly period setting. A gleefully metafictional caper and middle-grade picaresque bound to appeal to discerning young readers. (Adventure. 8-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
