The Nowhere Thief

This is a cleverly crafted tale of adjacent worlds, multiverses and one girl discovering that she can travel between them. It’s got thrills and jeopardy, twists and heroes which are page-turningly good. But at its heart it’s a tale of family lost and found and of love. This was original and exciting and one I’ll definitely recommend to readers in my class.

The Nowhere Thief is a magical tale. The protagonist Elsbeth learns to harness the power of her imagination and if she concentrates hard enough she go to a place called Nowhere. In Nowhere, she finds colour, Idris a new best friend and together they solve the mystery of where Elsbeth's mother is gone.

A magical, mysterious page turner. My 8 year describes this as a very exciting read. She read it quickly and was completely lost in this world when reading and she loved the twists and turns. She loved it. Huge recommendation from her.

The debut book from Alice M. Ross is simply out of this world! The Nowhere Thief is the latest multiverse offering and it does not disappoint. Fast-paced, well-written and unpredictable, Ross has created something special with this book.

When twelve-year-old Elsbeth discovers she can travel to parallel worlds and can even bring back a trinket or two, she never imagines the chaos that she might create. In her quest to save her shop, will she ultimately lose the thing she loves most?

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It is incredibly well written, with just the right amount of detail given to keep the reader interested. The plot is gripping and the peril feels real. The characters are likeable and relatable.

The Nowhere Thief is sure to be a massive success and I very much hope to read a sequel! I will definitely add it to our Year 5 and 6 bookshelf. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

A lovely book. Really enjoyed reading it and have recommended it to the children at work. .

Elsbeth is a 12 year old with an unusual power: the ability to move between different worlds or spheres, what she calls Somewheres. However, her gift leads to her being in a position that tests her loyalties and forces her to make difficult choices.
This multiverse novel is a great example of the science fiction genre for 8-14 year olds. Elsbeth and Idris are wonderfully relatable and likeable characters. I found it very refreshing that all the main protagonists were strong females. Unlike many fantasy novels, there are no thoroughly good or thoroughly bad characters. They all are faced with difficult decisions and must weigh up the rewards of their actions against the consequences. This novel would be perfect for exploring character motivation and to spark discussions about personal responsibility and self-advocacy. There are links to environmental issues, global economy and world relations which could all be explored through using the novel as a catalyst.

This was such a fun, unique, adventure. I thoroughly enjoyed it, Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to read. I’m so excited to see where The Nowhere Thief and Co go next. It’s five well deserved stars from me.

Such a delight exploring such imaginative alternative worlds — and with such a loveable stray of a tour guide in Idris! I just wanted to give him a hug (AND pet some of the unusual other-world creatures of course.)

The Nowhere Thief is packed full of adventure, magic and fun, but also so intelligently written: I loved the moral ambiguity of Elsbeth's quest, as well as the subtly drawn characterisation that means everyone can be viewed through a different lens.

There are layers upon layers in this book — just like the alternative worlds of the story folded over each other. Refreshingly, no character is entirely what they seem, and few motivations are entirely innocent. There are lessons to be learnt, too, from the worlds Elsbeth and Idris visit...

Imaginative, twisty and fun. It's a complicated concept for an MG, but told with lightness and ease.

This is the story of a girl called Elsbeth who lives with her Mum. They have a shop that sells all sorts of interesting things, but Elsbeth has a secret. She can travel to different worlds (also known as Spheres) and bring back nicknacks to sell in her family shop. World travel is common, but not where Elsbeth lives and this is the story of how one girl travels and makes friends with an interesting boy called Idris whilst remaining illusive and avoiding capture by otherworlders. This is an inventive read, and the pace with which the book goes means that you will struggle to put it down once you start and will have to finish it in a sitting or two.

The Nowhere Thief is a dazzling, exciting and action-packed multiverse adventure that completely captured me: a story of family and friendship; of danger and courage; and, of hope and finding your path.

Twelve-year-old Elsbeth lives in the quiet seaside village of Lewesby with her mother who runs an antique shop, but they are in danger of losing their livelihood due to the threat of eviction from their unscrupulous landlord. However, Elsbeth has an incredible ability that might just save the shop: she can travel to parallel worlds through the Nowhere where she brings back items she finds to be sold in the shop.

On a visit to another world to acquire more items, Elsbeth is saved from being caught for stealing by a young boy, but she loses him in the Nowhere. When she visits a world close to her own, she again meets the boy who confesses that he has been following her. Idris and Elsbeth soon find themselves in danger as they are caught and imprisoned, but Elsbeth discovers that together they have the ability to escape, but at what cost? Could her powers be linked to unusual weather patterns? Could she lose more than her home if she continues to risk taking goods from the multiverse?

And so begins an absolutely gripping, fast-paced adventure brimming with danger, daring and unexpected twists and revelations that kept me on the edge of my seat. I was eagerly turning the pages to find out who Elsbeth could really trust as she faces great peril, uncovers secrets and learns more about her abilities and the worlds she has been travelling between.

I really liked that Elsbeth has found her way into something that she has no real knowledge of, that she has been fearless and curious in her exploration and is learning about how it works organically. I felt that this was juxtaposed perfectly with Idris’ knowledge which allows Elsbeth to learn more about the multiverse including its economy and politics – and what a fascinating, complex and dangerous place it proves to be!

I really liked both Elsbeth and Idris, and enjoyed the firm friendship that develops between them, working as a team and learning to trust and rely on each other. Both have experienced loss and loneliness and are willing to take risks for their family and place themselves in danger in order to help each other and those they love. I really felt for Idris as I learned more about the relationship between him and his grandmother and his reason for following Elsbeth. I definitely sympathised with Elsbeth’s situation and her choice to steal items, which she felt didn’t hold great value in their own world and wouldn’t be missed, in order to sell them to help her mother. I think this could open up some great classroom discussion linked to: is it ever right to steal?

The Nowhere Thief is an unmissable adventure into a kaleidoscope of scintillating, exhilarating and fast-paced action that is just perfect for readers of 9+.

Thank you Netgalley and Nosy Crow for this eCopy to review

I really enjoyed The Nowhere Thief, it was a great adventure story of how Elsbeth can travel to pararell worlds where she takes objects to sell in her mother's shop. Along the way she makes a new friend Idris, together they learn more about their powers and how they affect the weather and the worlds they travel to. I love the surprise revelation at the end and hopefully there will be more books to follow telling us about Elsbeth's and Idris' training and work for the Council.

Alice M. Ross creates beautiful worlds that are slightly similar or completely different depending on where they are situated in 'nowhere,' the characters are well created and very believable and the pace is just right not too fast and not too slow. A very enjoyable read

I loved this Middle Grade multiverse fantasy adventure story starring Elspeth a feisty explorer of the multiverse. Elspeth is trying to help her mother raise money for repeated exorbitant rent increases by stealing unusual objects from towns and villages similar to hers in the multiverse. But when she gets caught by the Ministry, befriended by Idris and her mother disappears she finds herself forced to solve the fracturing of the multiverse to rescue her mother and return to her sleepy seaside village home.
Elspeth and Idris are absolutely delightful characters created by debut author, Alice M Ross for one of my favourite kids' publishers, Nosy Crow. And they are on to another winner here - hopefully we get to see more of Elspeth and Idris in their follow up adventures. They are a lovely example of friendship and support and the adventures unfold in delicious ways.
Thanks to NetGalley and Nosy Crow for access to this e-arc. It was great fun to read.

This book is begging for a sequel! It is a great middle grade story with a believable, strong friendship at the heart of it. Elsbeth’s “Somewhere” is very similar to our own, and the story is in lots of ways timeless as both of the child characters have an old fashioned sensibility which will remain through the ages and will not date. There are a few twists and turns as the story progresses and the finale gives the impression that this whole book will be a prequel to a really meaty series following the two travellers on their journeys through the kaleidoscope. A thoroughly enjoyable read perfect for 9-12 year olds.