The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams

"Any book that begins with a kid running hell-for-leather away from a group of monks attempting to stone him to death is clearly a book worth reading! A kid referred to only as Monkey is saved from certain death by a fast-talking merchant named Samir on the Silk Road. Trouble is, six different assassins have been hired to kill Samir, and Monkey is on the hook to save him each time. A book by turns shocking and hilarious. (For ages 8 to 12)"