The Memory Thief

by Bryce Moore

Overview

Twin brother and sister Benji and Kelly wander off at the local county fair after witnessing their parents argue. When Benji runs into a group of bullies, he escapes into a tent called The Memory Emporium, where he meets a strange old man inside named Louis. The old man shows him a magically vivid memory of a fighter pilot, in the hopes of getting Benji to pay to see other memories Louis has collected from people over the years.

Benji quickly realizes the ability to take memories could help his parents stop fighting with each other, and he asks Louis to teach him how to become a “memory thief.” But Louis isn't the only person with the ability to show and manipulate memories. There's also the mysterious Genevieve, a Memory Thief with much more nefarious motives.

Benji learns how to manipulate memories himself, but having that power comes at a cost to his family, and possibly to his own mind as well. Genevieve’s powers get out of control as she steals more and more memories from people in town—including Benji’s sister, Kelly. Benji must learn to use this newfound power, as he is the only one able to stop Genevieve.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781945293030
Publisher:	Adaptive Studios
Publication date:	09/20/2016
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	994,758
Product dimensions:	5.40(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.00(d)
Lexile:	650L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Bryce Moore is the author of Vodnik, a librarian, and the current president of the Maine Library Association. When not writing, he uses his spare time to fix up his old 1841 farmhouse and shovel snow. Happily married since 2001, he and his wife are raising three new geeks of their very own in Maine.

Pete Cross earned his MFA from the California Institute of the Arts and has been narrating audiobooks since 2015. He received an Audie nomination for 2016's A Time to Die. In 2017, he garnered both an Earphones Award and a Parent's Choice Award for his narration of Openly Straight. An Ohio native, he spent eight years in Los Angeles where he coached actors, was lucky enough to work with French director Quentin Dupieux, and despised the traffic.

Editorial Reviews

2017-01-17
Memories are slippery things.Twelve-year-olds Benjamin and his fraternal twin, Kelly, look forward to the Adams County fair every year. There isn't much to do in their corner of Maine besides listen to their parents bicker. This year a new tent appears on the fairgrounds: the Memory Emporium, where a wizened man says he can take and share memories. Narrator Ben hopes that he can help his parents forget their anger. But when he returns to the tent, a young tattooed woman has taken the old man's place. She promises to help the white preteens with their problem if she can have a few memories in return. Her solution seems to harm more than help, though, as the memories of the fairgoers are disappearing, including Kelly's and their parents'. It's up to Ben to figure out how to restore the minds of his family and town before he is forgotten as well. Moore crafts a compelling premise and a plot that delivers more than might be expected. Ben initially believes that a memory is an objective moment in time, but the quest to restore memories brings him to a deeper understanding of how they affect a life. Memories are not separate—they are integral to who we are. With interesting twists, captivating action, and a down-to-earth lead, this adventure is sure to become a new favorite. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews