Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes

by Jonathan Auxier

Other authorsGilbert Ford (Cover artist)

Hardcover, 2011

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Publication

Amulet Books (2011), Hardcover, 400 pages

Description

Raised to be a thief, blind orphan Peter Nimble, age ten, steals from a mysterious stranger three pairs of magical eyes, that lead him to a hidden island where he must decide to become a hero or resume his life of crime.

User reviews

LibraryThing member krau0098

I got an ARC of this book through NetGalley(dot)com; it just sounded like such a fun novel I had to give it a read. It ended up being a great novel; very well written and creative with some wonderful adventure and wonderful characters.

Peter Nimble was found blind floating down the river as an

infant. It's a miracle he survived; although he is blind. He's been raised by a horrible man who has made him thieve for a living and Peter Nimble is probably the best thief in the land. His life changes though when he meets a traveling medicine man who asks him to guard a precious box. Well of course Peter has to steal the box and what he finds inside it astounds him; he finds three pairs of eyes. When he puts one of the pairs of eyes in his sockets he is whisked away on an adventure greater than he ever could have imagined.

This novel is set in Victorian times and is very much a historical fantasy of types with a good dose of adventure. Peter Nimble is a character that is easy to relate to and fun to read about. He is a thief but he manages to comes across as noble and very moral. His sidekick throughout the novel, a knight made up of a mesh of animals is similarly fun to read about.

Peter embarks on a wonderful adventure through crazy lands. Besides his sidekick, he only has those magical pairs of eyes that he doesn't know the affect of. The book is well-written with occasional humorous asides by the narrator. The start of each chapter is beautifully illustrated.

Any middle grade, or older readers, who love fantasy adventure and love a quirky story will love this book. The world created is incredibly creative as is the premise of the stories; the characters are easy to relate to and fun to read about.

The story ends well, although it is stated that Peter has many other wonderful adventures, which I hope we get to read about in the future!

Overall an excellent middle grade read. A creative world, interesting plot, and wonderful characters make this a book that is fun to read and hard to put down. Fans of adventure fantasy in a historical setting will find a lot to enjoy here. The beautiful illustrations throughout the story only add to its charm. Definitely a fun and enjoyable read and highly recommended.

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LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife

Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes is 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.

Now and then I'll pick up a middle grade book and, more often than not, I'll put it down feeling an overwhelming urge to pet a kitten or cuddle a puppy, but sometimes, those rare, few, precious times, I put the book down and feel as if I've been transported back in time and I'm 11 years old again and surrounded by a word of magic and mystery; a world where a boy without eyes can overcome impossible odds, where a knight without bravery can overcome his cowardice, and where a lost fantasyland can be found again. Peter Nimble and his Fantastic Eyes is one of those stories.

One of the most brilliant, fantastic things about this book is way Auxier describes not only the people Peter comes in contact with, but also the places he visits and the things he does. Peter is blind, he has no eyes, and since the book (even though it's in third person) is from Peter's main point of view, we're treated to smells, touches and sounds. If a man is tall, we know because of the sound of his tread, if two people are related it's due to their smell. All this is done in such an exquisite way that it slipped by, unnoticed, until a moment came and I felt as if I'd just woken up and the world around me began to sparkle.

Bravo, Jonathan, bravo.

I cannot rave about this book enough. If you loved Gregor and the fantastic world Suzanne Collins made in her books, if you loved Plain Kate by Erin Bow, then you will adore this story of Peter Nimble, the blind thief. There are books I love, books I tolerate, books I cannot stand - but every now and then I come across a book like this one where I feel privileged to be allowed to read and experience the story.

Thank you, Jonathan Auxier, for giving us this story.

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LibraryThing member DanaBurgess

As I began this book, the first word that came to my mind was "charming". It is a perfect read-aloud book. The narrator's voice is strong and fun with lots of age-appropriate humour. Although the back of the book says 10+ years, my precocious 8 year old nephew would enjoy it as well.

Poor, blind,

Peter is liberated from his miserable life and embarks on a magical, mystical journey full of: problems waiting to be overcome; friends waiting to be made; lessons waiting to be learned and mysteries waiting to be solved. Peter needs a steady companion and who better than Sir Tode? I have to say that Sir Tode was my favorite character in the story. Who could resist a knight who is also a cat/horse/human? He fills a vital role as friend, confidant and Peter's eyes.

Don't expect this to be one of those books that helps kids understand and appreciate what it means to live with blindness. It is easy to forget Peter's blindness as he can 'see' almost better with his other senses as sighted people can with their eyes. This includes the ability, for example, to catch things thrown at him by 'sensing' their presence.
Mr Auxier's imagination and originality show through in his telling of the tale. The use of magic eyes was brilliantly incorporated as were the details of the Vanished Kingdom.

Be forewarned that there is a fair amount of violence in the story but (having some experience with 8 - 12 year olds - and boys especially) nothing they won't appreciate; nothing to cause nightmares; and, likely, nothing that comes close to the violence in their favorite video game.

All in all a great first effort by Jonathon Auxier. I'm hopeful we will find more accounts Peter's magical adventures in the future.

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LibraryThing member mountie9

Jake's Review: Mom you were right (mom's note: now this is in print so you all know he actually said I was right.) The story is really exciting and lots of fun. Sort of reminds me of the Percy Jackson book you made me put down so that I could read this one. Some of the stuff was kinda scary and I

didn't like that people were killed in such not nice ways. Also some of the words were really hard to figure out. Other than that it was a good book that I wanted to read to the end. Oh yeah and couldn't the story have been a bit shorter, I don't like it when books are so long (mom's note: wait till he has to read Moby Dick). I wouldn't recommend this one to Brian but I think Benjamin would like it. More for kids who like to read and probably better for older kids because of the killing and stuff.

Jake's Rating: 9/10

Mom's Review: What an absolutely enchanting magical tale that even a 9 yr old can enjoy. We read it together on many occasions as some of the language was a wee bit difficult for him and well it was just fun to read aloud. A great old fashioned epic story filled with adventure, magic, plenty of twists and turns and quite frankly just a fun ride. Some nice dry humour as well. A truly enjoyable story that even adult readers will enjoy. My only complaint is that the last 3 quarters was so good I didn't want to put it down, and I ended up reading till 1 am. Damn you Jonathan you so owe me a Tim Horton's Xtra Lg Coffee -- the American XL too! I would recommend for 10 up as there is some difficult language and some violent scenes that the sensitive or younger reader might have difficulty with. Would be a fun one for a class story in which the teacher could read a chapter a day.

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LibraryThing member ref27

Engaging characters, fun premise of fabulous blind thief, but overfull plot-wise and with too many quirks. Horse-knight-kitten combination? Really?

LibraryThing member KarenBall

"But I'm just a kid," he insisted. "I'm small, and I'm blind... You said it yourself, Professor, the person who wrote that note needs a hero -- someone noble and good... I'm just a criminal." "So what if you are?" the professor replied flatly. "How many well-behaved boys would have made it this

far?"
I LOVE THIS BOOK! This is an amazingly well-written fantasy, with an orphaned blind thief as our hero. As an infant, Peter Nimble was found floating in a basket, with a raven perched upon it. His eyes were missing - presumably pecked out by the raven. His early years were spent learning to steal in order to survive, until one day when he steals a box with six magical eggs from a traveling haberdasher. Inside the eggs are the three pairs of Fantastic Eyes. The first pair transports him to Professor Cake, who charges him with a quest to rescue the people trapped in the Vanished Kingdom from their evil ruler. Going with him will be Sir Tode, a knight hexed by a hag and now stuck in a body that's a mishmash of cat and horse parts, with a big bushy moustache. Peter will need all of his thieving skills and street smarts in this fast-paced adventure, filled with fighting ravens, talking apes, thieves, liars, sea monsters, and one awesomely evil king! What I loved: Peter may be blind, but he gets into all kinds of scrapes and fights along the way, so there's plenty of action. His creative solutions to battling bigger and stronger foes are wonderful! Auxier isn't afraid to let Peter's disability get in his way and cause problems -- sometimes not seeing things is downright dangerous, after all. Many fantasy stories spend a lot of time describing the world, so the readers will understand how this particular place works, and that can slow the story down. Not here! Readers see and experience the world as Peter Nimble does, with a delightful and funny writing style that I hope Jonathan Auxier continues to use in many more stories. Our sixth graders will love this one -- as will anyone else who picks it up. Bravo!

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LibraryThing member jennladd

I don’t normally read middle grade books but I’m glad that I made the exception for this one. Although it wasn’t much of an exception, a good fantasy story gets me every time. I love that the novel starts out kind of resembling Olvier Twist; orphan getting taken in and trained to be a thief.

Peter being blind sets him apart, not only in this novel, but in the MG genre in general. During one of his excursions, he finds a box containing three pairs of magical eyes. The eyes and a message in a bottle provide him with a great adventure. I really loved that. It’s whimsical and completely different, but draws from all the great adventure book themes. There’s even a knight (of sorts), Sir Tode, who is a combination of a horse and a cat.

I love this book. I can’t even describe why I like it so much. Parts of it are predictable, but it’s never boring. It’s whimsical and delightful. It’s the kind of book that I imagine younger children would like to have read to them before bed.

The book is divided into three parts (one for each pair of eyes). The chapters are short, which would be great for reading aloud. Each chapter heading also contains an ink drawing, which I thought was an adorable touch. I can see myself rereading this sometime in the near future.

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LibraryThing member hrose2931

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is unlike any novel I've read in MG or for that matter YA. When I was approached about reading this novel for review, I was taken in by the description that it was Dickensian in nature. I love British literature. And as I read Peter Nimble, I could see the plot

of Oliver Twist winding its way through the novel, though not quite so darkly. But, there's a dash of John Green and some Scott Westerfeld or is it Mark Twain or Neil Gaiman. I guess it is uniquely Jonathan Auxier who's combined wit and plot lends itself a very new voice in an undefinable genre. Though presented as an MG book, I think it could definitely cross over into YA.

Now, don't get me wrong, Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes isn't a warm your heart kind of fantasy at the beginning or even the middle. Peter is found floating in a basket with a raven believed to have pecked his eyes out by sailors. He has no name and when given over to the magistrates of the nearest town, is named, but then turned out as an infant and takes refuge with a mother cat, nursing with her kittens. It doesn't get any prettier from there and he eventually becomes a thief, a master thief.

But one fate changing day, he meets a haberdasher and being an expert lock picker, picks the numerous locks on his coach and steals something from him. And this sets him on an adventure of a lifetime with many perils and battles. This is the fantasy part of the story and from then, it's nothing but nonstop action. It's got some Steampunk, some magic, fantasy definitely, and lots of sarcastic, subtle humor. It has a dark undertone for the most part yet it doesn't feel heavy and it isn't gloomy or depressing.

Peter, as a character is very likable, if not relate-able. He stays true to his nature. He isn't evil, he's just trying to survive at first. But later on, he's trying to do more. And he's constantly reminding himself in difficult situations to remain true to his nature, which is a thief. But not for his own gain. And being a thief proves to be quite handy throughout the book. He's surrounded himself with good people and he sticks with them.

Peter's sidekick, Sir Tode, is a knight cursed by a hag to be half horse and half cat. I couldn't picture how that worked, but thankfully there are pen and ink drawings, done by the author, throughout the book that help and I realized Sir Tode is cat sized, not horse sized. He, too, stays true to his nature, but isn't all he purports himself to be which is also true to his nature.

Throughout there are numerous characters, most of them children or ravens, yes as in birds, and the adults, for most of the book are the villains. There is a little bit about how science is thought to be magic by everyone in the Vanished Kingdom including clocks and automated gates. There are some Steampunk like elements in the machinery that the citizens of the Vanished Kingdom believe to be magic as they've never witnessed science before. But Peter defeats this so called "magic" and shows them it is just science. The box proves to be magic though, there is no disputing that. And like any fairy tale there is a prince and princess, though not quite in the sense that we are used to. There are no romances. But plenty of talking animals. So really there is something for everyone.

Most enjoyable to me was Jonathan Auxier's writing. I don't know if the humor will be lost on MG readers, but I thoroughly enjoyed his mocking of adults. Or perhaps he will win them over with his subtle encouragement with passages like, "As you know, children (unlike grown-ups) are far too clever to be tricked by impostors-a fact that goes a long way toward explaining their distrust of wicked stepmothers and substitute teachers." (p.214) There was a lot of sarcastic, tongue in cheek humor, my favorite kind, and I found myself smirking as I read. Yeah, I shared a few passages with the men/boys, but I'm not living with book lovers here, so it gets lost on them. They don't get clever, intelligent humor.

So, what do I think overall? I thought it was a great story line with great characters. Peter was the main character but not the only interesting one. The story is a stand alone, something I love and is totally complete with a very definite ending. But there is the hint that there could be more stories to come. And it would definitely be a shame to leave Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes in the Vanished Kingdom. Jonathan Auxier's humor was subtle and honestly, it took me a lot longer to read this book than other's this length. I think that was because it was truly more literary (I hate to say intelligent or smart so I hope you understand when I say literary) than any other MG novel I've read. It didn't take away from my enjoyment of it at all. It probably increased it because it made it so unique. Sure you can read it as just a story, but I bet you can't breeze through it. You'll miss the humor. And it shouldn't be missed. I highly recommend Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes.

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LibraryThing member herdingcats

If you mix elements from Oliver Twist, Alice In Wonderland and King Arthur plus a few other fairy tale plots, and then throw in some extra twists and elements, you will have Peter Nimble.
Peter's eyes were plucked out by ravens when he was an infant, and he then survived on his own by nursing on a

cat, and learning how to steal food and clothing. When he was 5, he was taken in by an old orphan master who trained him to be an even better thief and forced him to steal for him.
He then meets a mysterious haberdasher, and steals a box from him which contains three sets of what he later learns are fantastic eyes.
Together with Sir Tode, who was once a knight, but has been enchanted and is now part cat and part horse, Peter and his fantastic eyes goes on an adventure that keeps the reader wondering what will happen next. This book is fantastic, creative and fun.

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LibraryThing member jfoster_sf

I have to admit that the cover and the title completely pulled me in, but as hard as I tried, I just could not bring myself to continue reading this book past the first few chapters.

LibraryThing member jwitt33

I absolutely LOVED this book! Yes, it is an MG book, and yes, I am an adult, but I enjoyed every minute of this book and couldn't put it down! I'm so excited for my sons to read it because it has everything they could want in a book: action, adventure, heroes and villains, fighting and thieving!!

What boy wouldn't want to dive into it!

Peter Nimble has had a very difficult life. He is found abandoned as an infant, with his eyes having been pecked out by the crows who are found with him. He scrounges out a life as best he can, until he is taken in by a cruel man who teaches him to be the best thief in the world so he can steal for him in exchange for the meager food and board he provides. All that changes when Peter steals a box with three pairs of eggs in it - and magically, each pair of eggs has a pair of eyes in it. When Peter puts in the first pair of eyes he is transported to an island where a kind man takes him in and explains that these eyes are meant only for Peter, to help him on a quest to save a damsel in distress. Peter sets off on the adventure of a lifetime, where he finds his destiny.

This was such a fantastic, magical book, and I definitely recommend it to all fans of fantasy and adventure, who love a good underdog to root for :D

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LibraryThing member Inky_Fingers

I enjoyed so many aspects of the book. The whole blind thief thing was pushed to its limit, and was very interesting and exciting. The city they eventually end up in was interesting, too. But so many of the plot points were predictable, and these increased as the book went along. When I could see

exactly how it was going to end, I put it down.

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LibraryThing member yearningtoread

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes by Jonathan Auxier
Pages: 381
Release Date: August 1st, 2011
Date Read: 2012, April 9th - May 8th
Received: Audiobook from library
Rating: 5/5 stars
Recommended to: 10+

SUMMARY -
Peter Nimble is nothing but a blind thief. He steals from pockets, purses, and shops. He is

light on his feet and smart with his fingers. He has a gift for thievery, and that's all he's ever done...
But when a strange man appears in town, showcasing something marvelous, and blackmails Peter into helping him, Peter finds himself whisked away on the greatest adventure of his life. And what is in the box, the one the strange man was showcasing? It might hold the answer to all of Peter's questions.

MY THOUGHTS -
I was so shocked and surprised by the mastery of this book. I thought it would be your average MG novel, but it was so, so SO much more. The writing, for one, is exemplary. Completely and utterly gripping and beautiful and it just flowed so well. It had a fantastical element to it that really went along with the theme of the book. It was perfect.

I read this book nearly a year ago (or listened to it via audio, I should say), and I honestly have no complaints about it at all. It left only the fondest memories of the story and the most beautiful ideas in my head. Inspiration is still abundant when I think of this story. Someday, I will have it on my shelf. I will read it to my children. It's just that good.

CHARACTER NOTES -
Peter Nimble is no ordinary boy. He may look like one on the outside, but inside he has courage and love and all the capacity for adventure that an avid reader could every hope for. He is one of a kind, also. He may have elements of the character we all want to read about, but he's his own person - totally a unique creation. I loved him so much. It was the perfect narration because, although he could not see, he described things based on how they felt or sounded or tasted, and it really added so much to who he was.

The other side characters were also excellent. Especially Sir Tode. OMG I loved him so much!! The narrator's voice for him was perfect and it made me laugh! Sir Tode had the best one-liners, hands down. There was also an old woman, a whale-like sea creature, thieves, and an evil king. There were orphans and bugs and monsters and all sorts of other characters to keep the reader glued to the page. (Or the audiobook, if you prefer.)

But honestly. I can't say enough about how glorious these characters were!

STORY NOTES -
And if the characters were glorious, wait till I tell you about the story! Good golly, it was absolutely out of this world fanTAStic!

Totally amazing. All the fantasy elements were there, plus so much more that makes it its own unique fairy tale. The execution was just as brilliant as the idea, too, which is saying something.

I loved absolutely every moment that included the magic box. I won't tell you what's inside of it - that's just half the fun - but I can't help but mention it. The imagery was stunning. I just...I don't even know how to explain how I'm feeling right now without giving it all away!

Besides the box, I loved every setting and place that Peter Nimble found himself in. It was all ingeniously written and had such a grand scope. The ideas were so brilliant that some settings I normally don't particularly enjoy reading about - such as the desert - became absolutely the most interesting thing I'd every read about.

Annnnd on top of that - the ending. It was so perfect and heartwarming and fairy tale and lovely. It leaves the reader wondering and imaginative and excited and ready for adventure. There's no end to how magical it all was!

In short, this book had it all.

And what else is there to say, without giving it all away? You read it for yourself. You'll understand.

SUMMING IT UP -
Utterly gorgeous! In every way! I'm so stunned but the magnificence of this story and can't wait for more and more people to read it! I've been telling everyone I can about it. It deserves to be read over and over again!

For the Parents -
So clean and sweet, and not too graphic so young readers can enjoy it as well. Recommended 10+

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LibraryThing member MlleEhreen

PETER NIMBLE AND HIS FANTASTIC EYES is really, really clever. It’s full of wordplay and ironic asides that will appeal to the same audience as the Lemony Snicket books. It’s not as good as Lemony Snicket, but it’s pretty good.

What PETER NIMBLE lacks is heart. It doesn’t have an emotional

core to give its fantastical imagery life and sparkle. As a result, when Jonathan Auxier’s wit falls flat, the book feels empty and dull.

Here’s an example of how witty Auxier can be. After describing how Peter was set adrift on the sea as an infant, his eyes pecked out by crows, and subsequently rescued and nursed by a mother cat, Auxier observes, “Until this point, you have been witness to Peter’s rather typical infancy – probably not unlike your own. But it was only a matter of time before he distinguished himself from the teething masses.” Such dry irony! And “teething masses”! That’s a good pun!

For contrast, here’s an example of how annoying the book can be. Peter acquires his “fantastic eyes” – a box of six eyes, three pairs. Because he’s blind with empty eye-sockets, he can slot in a pair of eyes, use them, take them out and then switch them up for a different pair. Pretty cool, right? The guy who made the eyes – who MADE them, and knows exactly what they do -- explains how to use one pair, but refuses to explain the other two, offering this instruction instead: “Do not try the remaining pairs until the moment is right – you will know when that is.”

Obviously it’s a plot device that aims to prolong the mystery of the eyes. But it makes no sense. Why would he send Peter into mortal peril while ignorant of how to use his most potent weapons? Is he playing some sort of sick game, or a secret enemy, or a jerk? Seems that way, but nope. It’s an arbitrary decision on his part.

The problem is, there are a lot of plot elements in the book like that one. Where Auxier has decided to make people act in a certain way because it’s clever or pushes the story in a direction he prefers. But they all add up, and the end result is that there’s no story immersion at all, because the world has no integrity.

As a result, I finished PETER NIMBLE AND HIS FANTASTIC EYES feeling pretty tepid about the book, despite its fecund imagination and abundant wit. But others may feel differently.

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LibraryThing member molliekay

What a great adventure story! If you liked The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente, you find this equally as enjoyable. Boys will be more drawn to this one, as it has a male main character.

LibraryThing member picardyrose

I knew who the good guy was, and it jumped POV a few convenient times, but it was a pretty good story.

LibraryThing member retvolunteer

I enjoyed the plot line, but some of the elements strained credulity as I thought about them. For instance, these children were imprisoned or in child labor since infants and yet they could read and write?
But I enjoyed the story even though I knew where it was going most of the time.

LibraryThing member GR8inD8N

eh. The first third was exciting, the middle third was didn't grab my attention as much, and the last third was pretty good. One of the characters finds out a secret, which in many adventure books happens at the very end, but I enjoyed that the character finds it out partway through and the

knowledge of the secret affects choices/plot etc. People who like fantasy, will appreciate this book if they need time filler while they wait for the next awesome one to be released. The writing was pretty good, I just thought there were too many epic complications before we actually got to the end.

audiobook was excellent.

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LibraryThing member cay250

Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes is the utterly beguiling tale of a ten-year-old blind orphan who has been schooled in a life of thievery. One fateful afternoon, he steals a box from a mysterious traveling haberdasher—a box that contains three pairs of magical eyes. When he tries the first

pair, he is instantly transported to a hidden island where he is presented with a special quest: to travel to the dangerous Vanished Kingdom and rescue a people in need. Along with his loyal sidekick—a knight who has been turned into an unfortunate combination of horse and cat—and the magic eyes, he embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure to discover his true destiny.

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LibraryThing member HelenGress

One more cautionary tale- trust no adults- unless they treat you like a person!. A blind thief is set on a magical quest to save a princess. sounds very cliched -but it is well rendered.

LibraryThing member rata

Peter Nimble and his fantastic eyes – this book was recommended to me by a year 8 student who absolutely loved it. I had a go at reading it and found it a bit to fantastical for me. I struggled to get to the part where Peter put in the Gold eyes and was transported to another place. From here he

was to go on a quest with a sidekick who was some sort of mutated cat or horse. I gave up here at chapter 7. with 24 chapters to go.

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LibraryThing member jjmcgaffey

It's pretty good for a children's book - but for someone like me, who looks behind the scenes, there's an awful lot of holes in it. For instance, how long has Professor Cake been watching Peter - and letting him be abused? For a greater good, sort of, but ugh. His misreadings of who's on which

side...are almost reasonable, except that the author shows his hand just a little too much pushing Peter into one action or another. It's fairy tale style - which means, the characters have little depth and do things because the story demands it not because they're reasonable for that character. Oh, and the FORESHADOWING of Peter's later adventures got annoying a couple times - auctorial inserts about "this is where this thing (that you all know about, of course, since you know the adventures Peter Nimble will have) happened for the first time". Overall...not bad, but not one that will draw me back.

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LibraryThing member MollyGroff

A very interesting book and very fun! I love this book!

Fewer

Awards

Massachusetts Children's Book Award (Nominee — 2014)

Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Intermediate — 2014)

Great Stone Face Book Award (Nominee — 2013)

Blue Hen Book Award (Nominee — Middle Readers — 2014)

The Willow Awards (Finalist — 2013)

2 more

Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award (Honor Book — 2013)

The Best Children's Books of the Year (Nine to Twelve — 2012)

Fewer

Language

English

Original publication date

2011

ISBN

1419700251 / 9781419700255

Local notes

The tale of a ten-year-old blind orphan who has been schooled in a life of thievery. One fateful afternoon, he steals a box from a mysterious traveling haberdasher—a box that contains three pairs of magical eyes. When he tries the first pair, he is instantly transported to a hidden island where he is presented with a special quest: to travel to the dangerous Vanished Kingdom and rescue a people in need. Along with his loyal sidekick—a knight who has been turned into an unfortunate combination of horse and cat—and the magic eyes, he embarks on an unforgettable, swashbuckling adventure to discover his true destiny.