Bootblack

 Bootblack by Mikaël (2022) 128 pages

I enjoyed the realistic art. Ultimately Al is a kid who is so patriotic, claiming his American-ness, that he turns his back on his immigrant parents. When they die and he ends up an orphan on the streets of New York City in the '20s, he becomes a bootblack with a gang of young friends. He develops a young crush. He further develops his hatred for newer immigrants. He moves money for organized crime families. He goes to prison then gets out just before WWII. All these stories are told as flashbacks from G.I. Al serving overseas in Germany. There are some details from his life that connect in unexpected ways, but fate is cruel and his life ends ironically.

The Thief Lord

 The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke, 350 pages.

Prosper and Bo run away to Venice to hide from their Aunt Ester, who wants to adopt Bo and separate the boys after the death of their mother. Soon they join up with a gang of children who live mostly on the generosity of the mysterious thief lord, who is himself a child named Scipio. When the next big score looks like something magical the payout it may be enough to finally buy all of them safety and comfort, but only if they aren't all in way over their heads.

I haven't read this book since I was a kid, when it was one of my favorites. It's still extremely good. Funke's descriptions of Venice are lush and magical, and the story feels refreshingly small and personal. This is a very comfortable book to settle into, and extremely underrated in the field of juvenile lit.