Sparring, Anders. Pinchers and the Diamond Heist, The. Per Gutavsson, Illus. Translated from the Swedish by Julia Marshall. Pinchers; bk. 1. Gecko, 04/2024. 98pp. Fiction. Trade $18.99. 978-1-77657-566-4. GRADES 2–4. HIGH ADDITIONAL.
The first in a series of transitional illustrated chapter books, this story focuses on a family of thieves with a grandmother, mother, father, sister, and brother. Brother Theo is a bit of an outlier because he doesn’t lie or steal, making for a humorous family dynamic. There are plenty of puns and wordplay, including the parents’ names Rob and Nic (both slang for stealing). The cartoon illustrations on nearly every page appear to be done using ink and watercolor and show the white family in prison striped shirts, including the dog Sherlock. Originally published in Swedish in 2018, this uses many British slang phrases as part of the humor. The next entry in the series, The Pinchers and the Dog Chase, is set for publication in September 2024.
Penny Peck—San José State University, iSchool