The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine

A School Library Journal Best Book of 2017

A Bank Street College of Education 2018 Best Children's Book of the Year

"will capture the imaginations of readers of all ages" USA Today,        (out of four stars) 

 "Samuel Langhorne Clemens himself would be proud." Booklist,  starred review

 "a cast of eccentric characters, celestially fine writing, and a crusade against pomp that doesn't sacrifice humor." Publishers Weekly,  starred review

 "Completing a story penned by arguably America's greatest author is no easy feat, but the Caldecott-winning author-illustrator (and husband-wife) team proves more than equal to the task. . . . A pensive and whimsical work that Twain would applaud." Kirkus,  starred review

"The combination of Twain s (often sarcastic) humor and lessons of life, a touch of allegory, and Stead s own storytelling skills result in an awesome piece of fantasy." School Library Journal,  starred review

 "Beautifully understated and nuanced illustrations by Erin Stead add the finishing flourishes to this remarkable work." Shelf Awareness,  starred review

drawn with a graceful crosshatched intelligence that seems close to the best of Wyeth. Adam Gopnik, The New York Times

"Twain and the two Steads have created what could become a read-aloud classic, perfect for families to enjoy together." The Horn Book

"artful and meta and elegant The Wall Street Journal

"should inspire readers young and old to seek further adventures with Twain." The Washington Post

"Johnny is destined to become as much a part of Twain lore as Tom, Huck, Jim and The Mysterious Stranger." Hartford Courant

"bound to become a reading staple for all ages." RealSimple.com

"Philip Stead brilliantly captures Twain's style, his homespun humor, his wordplay, his biting wit, his sympathy for the powerless and his disdain for the mighty." The Buffalo News