The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid

I listened to this on accident mostly, trying to find something to occupy myself in the middle of a migraine, but ooo boy is this story good. I think I prefer having listened to it, actually, than I would have reading the book--the performer (Bronson Pinchot) did an incredible job with all of the voices of the characters and the accents. That being said, I will probably have to look at this in physical book form to see the art, which I'm sure is beautiful.

The story gripped me pretty immediately, and the tone of the reading did that kind of interact-y way that MG books sometimes do without coming across as particularly patronizing or even annoying to my adult ears. Charlie was a pretty interesting main character and I can see kids show more really being drawn to him, and the world is just delightful. The class politics are a little all over the place (the Whiz Mob paint themselves initially as folks pursuing a kind of redistribution of wealth but that all rapidly falls apart) but it's not like I can super demand certain kinds of class politics from an MG book. The ending was a little difficult to listen to because it was so intense and while I had parts of it figured out, I felt like I had to sit through material I would have otherwise kind of skimmed past. But clearly I enjoyed this book, and I blew through it in a pretty fast time! show less

It is an ordinary Tuesday morning in April when bored, lonely Charlie Fisher witnesses something incredible. Right before his eyes, in a busy square in Marseille, a group of pickpockets pulls off an amazing robbery. As the young bandits appear to melt into the crowd, Charlie realizes with a start that he himself was one of their marks.

Yet Charlie is less alarmed than intrigued. This is the most thrilling thing that's happened to him since he came to France with his father, an American diplomat. So instead of reporting the thieves, Charlie defends one of their cannons, Amir, to the police, under one condition: he teach Charlie the tricks of the trade.

What starts off as a lesson on pinches, kicks, and chumps soon turns into an invitation show more for Charlie to join the secret world of the whiz mob, an international band of child thieves who trained at the mysterious School of Seven Bells. The whiz mob are independent and incredibly skilled and make their own way in the world--they are everything Charlie yearns to be. But what at first seemed like a (relatively) harmless new pastime draws him into a dangerous adventure with global stakes greater than he could have ever imagined. show less

Literary Merit: Excellent
Characterization: Excellent
Recommended: Highly Recommended
Level: Middle School

This was one of the most unique and delightfully funny books I've read in a while, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The author has a talent for breaking the fourth wall in the most hilarious of ways, addressing the reader with playful banter and long-winded asides as if he were telling the story to you himself. For this reason, I feel as though this would make an excellent audio-book, though the illustrations were wonderful as well. This book was actually illustrated by the same person who illustrated the Wildwood Chronicles, and the illustrations add a fun, cartoon-like nature to the already vibrant characters in the story.

The Whiz Mob show more and the Grenadine Kid follows the story of Charlie Fisher, the son of a prestigious American diplomat and well-known actress. Charlie, a quiet and thoughtful boy who enjoys writing, finds trouble making friends at the many social gatherings he's forced to attend. Things change, however, when Charlie and his father move to France, where Charlie stumbles upon a group of kid pickpockets with incredible skills. Charlie soon finds himself swept up into the chaos and excitement of a life robbing the overly wealthy, and finds himself belonging to something for the first time in his life.

My absolute favorite part of this book was the humor, which had me chuckling out loud several times as I read. Though the language might pass over the head of a reluctant or struggling reader, advanced readers of middle grade will get a real kick out of the wordplay used in this book. I would highly recommend this to middle school readers who are tired of middle grade-level writing, but who aren't quite ready for the situations and mature content found in older YA. Though I have never read A Series of Unfortunate Events, I've been told by a friend (who I shared many of the funnier snippets with) that this book reads a lot like Lemony Snicket, with interjections from the author that make it seem like he's talking directly to the reader rather than simply relaying a story.

Another thing I really enjoyed about this book was the diverse cast of characters. Not only were the characters diverse in ethnicity and background, but in personality as well. Each member of the Whiz Mob has a distinct personality; Jackie exudes an aura of toughness, the twins are jokesters, Borra is laid-back and easy going, and Pluto serves almost as the unofficial stoic leader of the group. The novel is written in such a way that, even without quotes, you would be able to easily guess who is talking at any given moment. This was fun to see in a middle grade adventure, as characters in this genre can quickly resort to tropes or stereotypes.

It was also incredibly refreshing to see a strong male friendship in this book, as young teen boys (and girls, for that matter) do not always get to see this in media designed for them. Amir and Charlie are unapologetically honest with each other, sharing some of the most vulnerable parts of their lives without shame. It's incredibly important for young boys to know that they can rely on their friends, and that it's okay for boys to let their emotions show if they need to. Colin Meloy seemed to understand that boys in our modern society are often told to "suck it up" and "stop acting like a girl," when in reality boys need to be allowed to be vulnerable just like anyone else.

Lastly, I'd like to touch upon the historical and fantasy elements woven into this story, which each serve to make it more unique and dynamic. This novel is only vaguely historic; events such as World War II are mentioned in passing, and the author often remarks upon how different things like air travel were back during the time in which this story takes place. Despite this, however, the reader gets a real sense of the time period in both the speech and dress of the characters, making the historical aspect seem realistic without feeling forced. Similarly, while magic is not mentioned, the Whiz Mob employs such fantastic techniques to perform their thefts that it almost seems like magic, making the reader wonder how the characters pull off their heists without detection. Both of these elements work together to make the story all the more fun and entertaining, and I feel that any lover of adventure and action will enjoy this story.

Though I had a slight problem with the glorification of stealing, this book is no worse than the tales of Robin Hood; the characters have a strict moral code of only stealing from those who clearly look like they could afford to lose some money without being devastated by the loss. While this does not necessarily make stealing right, I believe Charlie (much like the reader) learns a valuable lesson about trusting people who steal for a living. This novel is full of moral ambiguity, one of the many reasons it's well-suited to the more advanced reader of middle-grade literature. Now that I've read this, I'd really like to check out the Wildwood Chronicles; if they're written half as well as The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid, I think I'm in for a real treat. show less

*I received a free copy of this book from the publisher at ALA Annual 2017. This is an honest review.*

This book is wonderful. I was transported into an entirely different world with the lingo of the whiz mob, and it was fun to watch Charlie, who would normally be a mark for these cons, to become one of the group. While the setting is supposed to be the 1960’s, it is timeless, with its themes of friendship, family, and the ever-present theme of trying to fit in.

The main character, Charlie, is what makes The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid shine. He is headstrong, daring, and ambitious, which endears him to the group of pickpockets he finds himself in. I loved reading about his new adventures and seeing how he tries to juggle the life of show more being a diplomat’s son and the life of being “on the whiz.” The only steep selling point for this book would be the vocabulary. There’s a list at the end to help, but it might get tiresome to flip the pages back and forth to figure out what people are saying. I think that the story and characters might be able to pull a reluctant reader through that, though.

The writing style is fantastic, with a lot of “breaking of the wall.” The narrator speaks directly to the audience many times, giving it a quirky, snarky sort of feel. My favorite is when he tries to explain how the characters are speaking French but the book is in English, so we need to come to an understanding. I think a lot of readers will appreciate it, as it gives a sort of “insider” feel to the story as a whole, and there’s humor to be found in it.

Without trying to give too much away, the twist is absolutely amazing, though I did have my suspicions about it. What makes it outstanding is what comes out of it and how Charlie deals with it. Overall, this is an excellent middle grade book that I would highly recommend.

Also posted on Purple People Readers. show less

Narrated by Bronson Pinchot. Twelve-year-old Charlie is the son of an American diplomat working in Marseilles, France. Charlie is lonely and friendless. He dreads the parties his father drags him to because he has nothing in common with the other kids. While people-watching in the plaza for a writing assignment, he meets a boy named Amir who pickpockets his pen. This auspicious encounter leads to Charlie falling in with a gang of kid pickpockets. He learns the tricks of their trade and helps out at jobs. It’s the first time he feels accepted and part of something. But should Charlie trust a gang of thieves? Pinchot has avuncular, pleasant reading voice. Characters presented with animation and humor. Reveals Europe as a fascinating and show more exotic place. Very entertaining, a read-aloud that engages. show less

A hard book to characterize. I like the fascination with the Whiz Kids and their language. The use of asides that address the reader directly is interesting and effective.

I quite liked it overall, although I didn't like the idea of a false ending that you have to read past.

Excellent story! The protagonist is a 12 year old boy named Charlie, son of an American diplomat. Charlie's life is boring to him, as he constantly moves around from city to city with his Dad. He is not very gregarious, and therefore has a hard time making friends. Until one day he does, make friends. He enters into a world quite different from his own, and he likes it. What happens next, well, Charlie is taken for a ride, not the kind where you are sitting in the back of a Lamborghini or limousine, no, but an exciting ride into an underground world. How will he justify the diplomat's son vs. "The Grendnadine Kid" whom he has become?