France, the late 18th century. In palaces, the dazzling Queen Marie Antoinette shines, while in a small southern town, a girl named Forty is recognized as the queen of thieves. She readily takes on an unusual job—to steal a casket from a wealthy house—and, unexpectedly, she gets a chance to change her life. Meeting the inventors of the air balloon gives her a dream that is destined to come true.
This story about the first steps of ballooning made it into the Top 10 of Amazon UK, won a contest hosted by the publisher Chicken House, and was rightfully proclaimed the flagship of the Bologna Children’s Literature Exhibition. Emma Carroll is the author of novels nominated for the Carnegie Medal and included among the best-selling children’s books.