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The Princess and the Thief

by Cerrie Burnell

Interest age: 11 to 14
Reading age: 10+

Published by Penguin, 2026

  • Adventure
  • Fantasy
  • Disability

About this book

One dark night, in the shadowy grandeur of the royal palace of Venetia, two 15-year-olds meet for the first time. They are astonished by their similarities – same build, same long dark hair, even the same upper limb difference. Yet the worlds they come from could not be more different.  

Neva is a skilled thief, forced by a criminal gang to attempt to rob the palace. She longs to be accepted, but feels compelled to hide her little arm. Meanwhile, Princess Aria is comfortable with her limb difference but hides a secret of her own. Magic is essential in Venetia, especially for those in power. But when she was younger, the princess (now next in line to throne) had almost all of hers taken away, a punishment for refusing to wear her ‘puppet hand’. The two girls hatch a daring plan to share their skills and swap their identities. Together, can they overcome their desperate circumstances, transform their destinies and save the realm? 

This is a fast-moving adventure following the two teenagers as they encounter dangerous enemies and powerful magic on a rip-roaring, role-swapping journey. We see them forging friendships and even experiencing love. A large cast of characters, combined with intricate plotting and a vivid backdrop of a re-imagined Venice, make for a breathless ride. A captivating story which will leave the reader hungry for the next instalment. 

About the author

Cerrie Burnell is an actress and writer best known for her work on CBeebies, a role that has earned her critical recognition and a devoted fan base. Alongside this, she works very closely with a number of charitable organisations linked to childhood and diversity, as Cerrie is passionate about these subjects.

In 2011, Cerrie was named in the Observer’s top ten children’s presenters and in the Guardian’s list of 100 most inspirational women. Cerrie is author in residence for Great Ormond Street hospital and a patron of Polka children’s theatre.

She trained at Manchester Metropolitan and her credits prior to CBeebies include Eastenders, The Bill, Holby City, and Comedy Lab for Channel Four and various plays, including Winged, an original play she wrote and starred in at the Tristan Bates theatre.

Cerrie’s one-woman show The Magical Playroom opened in Edinburgh in 2013 and she has published seven books for children with Scholastic. Harper and the Sea of Secrets was a World Book Day title in 2016. Cerrie recently adapted her picture book Snowflakes for the stage, which was performed at the Oxford Playhouse in December 2016. Harper and the Night Fox was published by Scholastic in 2017, and her novel, The Girl With the Shark’s Teeth, was published by Oxford University Press in January 2019. Her novel, The Ice Bear Miracle, was published in February 2020.

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