Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes is the story of a ten year-old blind orphan who also happens to be the greatest thief who ever lived.
The book is published by Abrams (also Penguin Canada and Scholastic UK abroad!); it was also just named as an American Bookseller’s Association 2011 New Voices pick! I’ll be doing events and signings all this Fall — you should come by to say hello!
You can pick yourself up a copy online, in a giant store, or at your local independent bookseller! If you need more convincing, I suggest you read the first chapter for free here. Or you could watch the book trailer:
Need more? Check out these glowing reviews:
“Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is as delightful a magical story as readers ages 9-14 will hope to find. Part hero quest, part orphan saga, and wholly captivating” – Wall Street Journal
“An exciting story of destiny … Auxier has written a stunning novel, one that transports not just Peter Nimble, but the reader as well” — BookPage Magazine
“What begins Dickensian turns Tolkien-esque in this quest replete with magic and mystery…. Auxier has a juggler’s dexterity with prose that makes this fantastical tale quicken the senses” – Kirkus Reviews
“Evoking Dickens and Dahl, this fantasy-adventure has a classic-storytelling flavor, from archaic prose—lightened with droll touches—to diversely drawn human and animal characters … readers will enjoy the unique Peter, whose adventures, from facing and overcoming hardships to discovering the true meaning of heroism, make for an absorbing debut.” – Booklist
“A charming, adventurous, delightful gem of a novel about a brave boy that is both thief and a hero. I loved it from start to end. That is all.” – BookSmugglers
“A stunning, stunning debut novel. Brilliantly conceived, filled with masterful descriptions that provoke not only the imagination with sights, but also with sounds, smells and touch. From the first few paragraphs I was spiraled into a story, much like Alice falling down her rabbit hole, and caught up in a tale of the completely fantastic and I loved every single second of it. Every one.” – Lost Entwife Reviews
“Anything can happen in debut author Jonathan Auxier’s fantastical world. Even kids who read widely and suspect from the beginning that blind, orphaned Peter Nimble is destined for great things will be caught up in the suspenseful doings and surprise twists. And this book may well convert those who don’t consider themselves readers.” – Shelf Awareness
“Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes is both a pull-no-punches adventure with the darkness of the most authentic fairy tales, and a whimsical romp in a fictional world where anything is possible … The book’s quirky nature, distinctive plot, and fresh themes will draw young readers in and spark their imaginations, earning it a place on the shelf for re-readings.” – Quill & Quire Magazine
“the fast-paced, episodic story, accompanied by Auxier’s occasional pen-and-ink drawings, is inventive, unpredictable, and — like its hero — nimble.” – Publisher’s Weekly
“When the book ended, I was not only left with the satisfaction a great story brings, but with the idea that each one of us is important and can make a difference in the world…. Indeed, this is a book that could quite possibly steal The Newbery right out from under all of the other books I have read so far this year.” – The Lemme Library
“What is the most telling difference between works of children’s literature written long ago and those written today? I’ll answer for myself: Tone. The tone of a book like Wind in the Willows or The Secret Garden is difficult to replicate. What Peter Nimble manages to do is create a tone akin to those books of yore…. Kids will stay with Peter every step of the way. It’s like something you’ve seen before and nothing you’ve ever read.” – School Library Journal (Fuse #8)
