Heist: The remarkable robot robbery by Joel McKerrow

The oddball collection of heisters introduced in The Great Chocolate Caper  are back again to protect the world. Or are they? In the good tradition of magical sleight-of-hand tricks they use all their talents to take the attention away from the ‘magic deception’ they are about to perform. These pre-teenagers use their planning skills and their robotic talents to save the aliens from destruction by humans. How the tides have turned! The Sydney Opera House becomes both the site for the National Robot Battle and possibly the biggest news story ever. But will they all survive to overcome the enemy? 

This is an adventure story that kids will love. The small band of friends are weird and intelligent, just as likely to throw funny verbal barbs at one another as they are to save the world (or the aliens within, including Saph who lives symbiotically within Andy McGee, one of the hapless crew). This story involves incredible cooperation, intelligence and planning to enable the young team to outdo adults who are intent on eliminating alien life. With all the complications of an Oceans 11 story, this is just an action-packed adventure with a culmination that is set within the Sydney Opera House. It is a book that 10-14 year old readers will devour eagerly, and will be delighted that there is another Heist story in the pipeline (as will I!). It is both funny and exciting, a combination that young readers will love.

Themes: Robots and robotics, Aliens, Friendships, Heist stories, Computer programming, Ability and disability.

Carolyn Hull