Stealing Death

by Janet Lee Carey

After a fire kills most of Kipp's family and destroys his home, Kipp attempts to stop death in order to get rid of suffering in the world. How? By stealing Death's soul sack and keeping it away from those who are on the verge of dying. With this goal in mind, Kipp embarks on a fantastical journey in order to truly master death.

Stealing Death is a very rich, fast-paced novel similar in style to many of Janet Lee Carey's other works. Although the idea of "stealing death" is quite common, the way which the characters went about it was very original and interesting. I loved all of the characters and how realistic they seemed -- Kipp went through so many of the challenges and mental hardships that most of us go through today, and his friend Zalika was the kind of spunky, independent girl that most girls want be like. The cultural aspect of the book (the African words and traditions) enriched the book so much and made it unlike any other book I've read. For all ages, this exciting novel (with the awesome cover!) is something you don't want to miss.