I just found out that my novel Thief made the 2009 ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers list. I'm very pleased that the book was recognized. The book came out last summer within days of my other book Zombie Blondes, which, like a ravenous zombie, stole most of the attention. Don't get me wrong, I love Zombie Blondes, but Thief is a book I'm extremely proud of artistically. 

I will post more about this book in the coming days, try to give some insights to certain aspects of the book. In the meantime, here's the Amazon summary:

"Elizabeth is a pickpocket and thief living on the edge in New York City. She and her foster sister, Alexi, are living with Sandra--a modern-day Fagin who takes in foster children and then forces them to steal things for her. Even though she's sick of it, Elizabeth doesn't really question her life...until Sandra takes in a third foster child, this time a boy. Dune is a completely lost soul, and Elizabeth begins to see the limits of her life. Sandra is not going to let her go easily--but Elizabeth knows she has to find a way out. With brutal honesty and striking lyricism, Brian James has created a character you'll never forget, trapped in a situation that's frighteningly real."