The Pinchers and the Diamond Heist (Anders Sparring, illus Per Gustavsson, Gecko Press)

Anders Sparring’s The Pinchers and the Diamond Heist is a first-in-series chapter book that ticks many boxes young primary school children love: comedy, crime, and fun family connections. Opening with introductions to the Pincher family, we learn about their likes and strengths and get a feel for the humour and style to follow, reminiscent of David Walliams. For instance, the characters’ first names are all puns based on thieving, which is the family trade. Our reluctant hero, the son, Theo, is the exception. He (much to his mother’s disappointment) cannot tell a lie and, worse still, wants to be a police officer when he grows up. A diamond heist is in the offing, and Theo attempts to foil his parents’ thieving plans. The short chapters have quirky headings, which hint at the upcoming events, and they each conclude with cliffhangers, compelling readers to turn the page. The language (translated from its original Swedish) is accessible to the intended audience (early primary school students), as is the fast-paced action. Per Gustavsson’s full-colour illustrations are bright, appealing and well-integrated with the text, providing extra content for readers to explore. The full cast of characters, strategically placed clues, and slapstick comedy make this a terrific classroom read-aloud book, and independent readers will laugh at the silliness—and they’ll enjoy understanding the adventure for themselves. The inclusion of some fun interactive ‘crime-based’ activities also cleverly extends reader engagement beyond the last page.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Alida Galati is a freelance reviewer, secondary school librarian and reading enthusiast. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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