The Nowhere Thief by Alice M. Ross

Twelve-year-old Elsbeth has an extraordinary power: she can travel to parallel worlds and bring objects back with her. With her mother’s failing antique shop growing dustier by the day, the trinkets that Elsbeth steals from these worlds seem like they might be the answer to all of their worries. But as bizarre weather events begin to swirl each time she travels, she has to ask herself: does her gift come with a price?

The Nowhere Thief is a fascinating combination of science fiction and fantasy. As Elsbeth travels from the shimmering Nowhere to a new Somewhere and back again, readers are encouraged to question her actions (stealing from other Somewheres), her motives (helping her mother’s business) and the true intentions of her heart (to look after her mum). When her new acquaintence, Idris, shows her even more about the Nowhere, Elsbeth begins to question whether she really is doing the right thing. Perhaps there are consequences for her actions afterall.

This is a fantastic story to share as a class. There are valuable discussions to be had about honesty, whether it is ever ok to lie and the impact of stealing. The wonderful people at Nosy Crow have created a brilliant teacher resource pack containing lots of thought-provoking questions and activities including:
Writing – Create your own Somewhere
Drawing – Design an object or creature from another Somewhere
Crafting – Create your own kaleidoscope

This resource can be found on the Nosy Crow website or you can access it here.