Angel Thieves: A Tale of Bayou Mysteries

In an extraordinary and expansive novel by Kathi Appelt, a diverse array of perspectives from different eras converge around the central themes of freedom, hope, and religion. This groundbreaking work, honored with the Newbery Medal and a finalist for the National Book Award, weaves together the stories of angelic beings, bayou inhabitants, and characters like Zorra and Achsah to create a truly epic tale.

Sixteen-year-old Cade Curtis finds himself in the peculiar role of an angel thief. Cast out by his mother's family due to his illegitimate birth, Cade and his father settle in the apartment above a quaint vintage shop in the neighborhood. Their arrangement with the shop owner, Mrs. Walker, involves procuring marble angels stolen from local graveyards, which she sells at high prices to collectors. However, there is one particular angel that could be their ultimate prize: a unique figure carved by a slave, distinguished by one hand open and one hand closed. If Cade could only locate this elusive angel, their thievery days might come to an end…

Zorra, a young ocelot, gazes wistfully as the bayou flows past her. Long separated from the poacher who once held her captive, Zorra grows hungrier and thirstier with each passing day. Despite being trapped, she finds solace in the soothing sounds of the bayou, which seem to promise aid on the way.

Earlier than Zorra, Achsah, a slave, watched the exact same bayou along with her two younger daughters. After the dying of her grasp, Achsah is free, however she’ll be damned if her daughters aren’t freed along with her. All they should do is use the church with an angel with one hand open and one hand closed…

In a masterful feat, Nationwide E-book Award Honoree Kathi Appelt weaves collectively tales throughout time, related by the bayou, an angel, and the common want to be free.