View source for The Real Thief by William Steig

{{infobox2
|title=The Real Thief
|sort=Real Thief
|author=William Steig
|reviewer=John Lloyd
|genre=Confident Readers
|summary=A very commendable novella for the young, that doesn't suffer from its great morals being a little heavy-handed.
|rating=4.5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=64
|publisher=Pushkin Children's Books
|date=November 2017
|isbn=9781782691457
|website=
|video=
|aznuk=1782691456
|aznus=1782691456
|cover=1782691456 
}}
 
Meet Gawain.  He's a goose, with great plans to be a great architect, who's fallen instead into being the Chief Guard of the Royal Treasury belonging to King Basil the bear.  Only the two of them have keys to enter through the only door into the place, but lo and behold, some of the gems have been stolen.  Gawain promises to be even more diligent than he already is – ''I check, I double-check and I re-double-check'', he insists.  But more and more things go missing, and soon Gawain is being accused of betraying King Basil's trust and helping himself.  I would say he's out on his ear as a result, but, you know – he's a goose.
 
This is an interesting book, mostly for the immediacy with which it conveys the situation.  There's no real explanation of how Gawain gets such a change in his intended career, and there's absolutely no background to the land we're in, with all its diverse animal subjects.  Instead we're thrust into Gawain's dilemma – and apart from the puzzle of the case to solve, we're only really forced to like him and want to side with him because he's a goose.  A loyal, steadfast and intelligent goose, but a goose.
 
The last time I read a Steig book, with [[Dominic by William Steig|Dominic]] the rich and over-charitable dog as subject, I found it too old-fashioned in its morals and twee in its approach.  I did wonder if this book, by hinging on Gawain, with his very antiquated name and almost as ancient sense of duty and morals, was going down the same path.  But by the time that had actually crossed my mind it was too late – I was too stuck into the meat of the story, and yes, I was caring for the bird.  Which makes the switch in proceedings the middle chapter undergoes more than a little brave…
 
I really enjoyed this, and it certainly restored the author's name in my esteem.  That initial thrust into the story isn't sustained, as that would make for a one-note drudge.  Instead we get much more depth than such a small word-count would suggest, and a real craft behind the story, which engages throughout.  The author's own illustrations are appealing, meaning the whole package is a great way to get the full sentiment and moral of the piece to a young audience.  That moral is a little heavy-handed at times, but that comes from an intimacy with the characters (and I can say little about either the ultimate lesson here, or indeed all the characters, for want of spoilers).  That intimacy is most welcome, as indeed is the simple intelligence I found here.  This is really most likeable.
 
I must thank the publishers for my review copy.
 
[[The Murderer's Ape by Jakob Wegelius and Peter Graves (translator)]] is a much larger proposition, but will stand the test of time as another story of loyalty.
 
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