The Vanishing Orphans of Alvanor

A young thief risks everything to save her friends when a mysterious force begins hunting orphans in this Dickensian steampunk middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of The School for Thieves.

Twelve years ago, the Shattering occurred, and the Harmonies disappeared, ending the time of prosperity the country of Alvanor had enjoyed for centuries. Now, orphans are vanishing in the country’s capital of Halcyon.

Rather than leave home for safer harbors, eleven-year-old Bandit, a thief with an uncanny knack for survival, convinces her fellow orphans to fight the mysterious force that is hunting them. Rika, the de facto leader of the orphans and Bandit’s surrogate sister, will stay to help the cause. But the orphans eventually uncover a horrible secret: the hunters are none other than the Tikari, a group of mercenaries who strike a deep fear in all who encounter them.

As Bandit and her friends continue to fight, Rika disappears. Determined that no one else will get hurt, Bandit closes herself off to her remaining friends and focuses her energy and wits on confronting the Tikari head on. But the battle brings about many surprises about what’s really going on in Alvanor. Will Bandit’s sacrifice be worth it in the end?

Callie C. Miller works in animation and has written for shows spanning the audience age from preschool to teen anime. Callie holds an MFA in writing for children and young adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and has twice placed in the Katherine Paterson Prize competition for her middle grade speculative fiction. Her books include The Hunt for the Hollower, The Search for the Shadowsoul, and The Vanishing Orphans of Alvanor.