The Art Thieves by Andrea L Rogers

 

 The Art Thieves by Andrea L. Rogers. Levine Querida (Chronicle Books), 2024. YA futuristic fiction.

Stevie Henry is a young Cherokee woman whose tight nuclear family includes Mom, Dad, and little brother Levi. They live in a Teas city, but return to the reservation on weekends and see extended family. Her best friends, Jess and Loren, are a couple and the three hope to attend college together soon. Stevie works in the gift shop at the local museum and it is here that she meets Adam, a handsome young artist. Adam says he is from Costa Rica, but that soon is proved false.  

When Levi gets seriously ill, the family is desperate to help him.  When Adam  tells Stevie that he is really from the future and that our world is about to have major problems, how will Stevie react? Can they save major art works? Can they save themselves? Can anyone save Levi?

The references to Levi's allergies ring true and the little family is incredibly careful with his food choices. The art museum is a place of learning and safety for Stevie. The words she speaks in Cherokee and her links to her heritage fit into the narrative. Details about Jess and Loren and their relationship and reactions to Jess's strict parents are carefully woven into the story, too. So much of the coming apocalypse makes the characters search for what's really important to them. This is a book that makes readers THINK!