The Big Smith Snatch - Hardcover

Grade 5-7-- A smooth, fast-paced adventure that's rather old-fashioned in spite of a the presence of a bag lady and current street scenes in L.A. When Mr. Smith flies east to take a new job and an overstressed, pregnant Mrs. Smith collapses, their children are assigned by a social worker to a couple who turn out to be very organized modern-day Fagins. Ten-year-old Cisco and next oldest Poppy soon realize that they've been kidnapped and that the exciting new games of "seek" and "snatch" are turning them into quite proficient burglars. They're horrified, wondering if they'll be in jail before they see their mother again. Meanwhile, the oldest Smith child, 12-year-old Boo, and a neighbor-turned-bag-lady search the city for the van that took the children away. A combination of Cisco's left-behind clues, Poppy's common sense, Boo's determination, and Mrs. Moss' knowledge of the streets brings the police to the rescue just in time. Each child's personality is briefly but clearly delineated, with Boo's in greater depth. The tension builds quickly, and the ending, although abrupt, satisfies by bringing the family back together. In fact, much of this tale's delight comes from the large family with its poverty, warmth, and loyalty, as well as children's fascination with sudden emergencies and the need for resourcefulness. A good, involving story. --Sara Miller, Nassau Library System, NY
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Smith family is facing hard times. The children and their mother had planned to drive back East to rejoin their father, but the money they need didn't arrive on time. They are forced to camp out with the homeless; then Mrs. Smith has to go into the hospital. The four youngest children are placed with the Docketts, a foster family--and are used in the family's work as burglars. In the meantime, Boo, the eldest child, is trying to put the pieces of her family back together. The plot is delightfully complex, and the children believable individuals. And while at times the outlook may seem overwhelmingly bleak, Curry keeps her readers secure in the knowledge that Boo and others around her, flawed as they may be, will triumph. Ages 9-12.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.