It's book birthday time!!!
I was already itching to read this book the moment I saw the cover. It screams high-sea adventure with whimsical touches...at least, that's what I'm seeing. Maybe, fantasy? Action? Treasure? I'm hoping Lavender is a character to adore. And at 400 pages, this better be an exciting, grabbing book. Yep, fat books like this make me wonder if they are worth the long sit. But I'm positive about this one and can't wait to dive in.
THE WONDROUS TALE OF LAVENDER WOLFE
by Karen Foxlee
Illustrated by Martina Heiduczek
Sarah Barley Books
Middle Grade Fantasy
400 pages
ages 8 to 12
COMING NOVEMBER 10th!!!
Four starred reviews!
An abandoned girl discovers found family, epic adventure, and her own destiny aboard a cursed ship sailing toward an impossible treasure in this “fabulous magical quest, strange and wonderful” (Judith Rossell, author of The Midwatch Institute for Wayward Girls).
Lavender Wolfe’s world is her mother, the pockets they pick together, and the wharf where they scrape by day to day. But when Lavender is left waiting on the harbor steps, she is swept aboard the Good Marchioness—a magical pirate ship unlike any other.
The ship’s cook, Big Agatha, insists Lavender has been abandoned. Worse, she says Lavender has magic.
Now renamed Hans Whitby and recruited as a kitchen rat, Lavender finds herself among a crew of extraordinary children, a captain with a wing instead of an arm, a ghost-fetcher, a mysterious shell that was once a boy, and a curse that threatens to turn everyone aboard into sand. To break the curse, the crew must recover a stolen treasure before time runs out . . .
But as Lavender is drawn deeper into the ship’s secrets, she begins to wonder whether she has truly been stolen—or whether she has finally found where she belongs.
MY TIDBITS
A dusting of magic mixed with deadly curses, powerful winds, and tons of hopeful wishes creates a rich world with a character to adore.
Lavender was not abandoned on the steps by the wharf, but after sitting there all day with a grumbling stomach and her mother nowhere to be seen, she didn't have the strength to fight the large woman, who towed her away. The woman claimed Lavender had been left there to die. Aboard a pirate ship, she's also told she holds magic...just like everyone else aboard, and she's now under the same curse as the rest of the crew. They need to find a treasure and return it to the original ship or be turned into sand at the end of the 7th year. And while that sounds horrible, Lavender quickly learns her situation is much worse than that. The crew insists she's now a boy named Hans (girls aren't allowed underdeck), the captain has no problem throwing crew members overboard, she has no clue what her magic is, the ship they need to find is a ghost-ship, and the seven years time is already almost up, which means she'll soon turn into sand. But the true danger lies in her forgetting who she truly is and figuring out what path she really wants to take.
When I picked this book up, I loved the cover and the surmise but wondered about the hefty, 400 page length. But this tale is so grabbing and well-woven that it speeds right along, letting the reader get lost in the pages. The tale is set in the year 1719, where pirate ships were a high-seas threat and princesses, royals, and hidden treasure opened to legends and myths. It creates a rich backdrop for a just as rich character. But then, not only Lavender holds a wealth of personality, the other characters shine, each in their own way. From cat-ish Ginger to agile Sasha to Big Agatha and more, each crew member makes their mark and leaves an impression.
The author weaves in magic and lets the imagination flow, but the spells and abilities remain like a gentle breeze, for the most part, and are barely noticeable. The curse carries a larger impact and lets the fantasy slip in right along with danger, action, threats, and secrets. It's the curse, which drives the story forward and exposes itself in drips throughout the read. It weaves its threads, and as Lavender (aka Hans) slowly discovers the tale behind the entire adventure, understanding clicks into place, little by little, to show that good and bad often seep into gray as the result of mistakes, misunderstand, and, sometimes, ill-intentions. She learns that curses are as double-sided as a coin. Dangerous storms, being chased by the Spanish Armada, and a quickly approaching deadline create a quick-paced plot with tons of adventure and edge-of-the-seat moments. Still, the depth isn't forgotten and makes the tale sink in.
There is death, but this is handled very age appropriately and respectfully. The messages underlying the plot are plentiful and wholesome. They swirl around staying true to yourself, always being kind, bravery, friendship, letting go, and learning about who you are and want to be. All of these (and more) weave nicely into the adventure and let it shine.
I can recommend this one to anyone who enjoys fast-paced adventure, a bit of magic, danger, characters to root for, and a high-seas journey.
And here they are...
Karen Foxlee is an Australian author who writes for both children and young adults. Her books include The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe, Dragon Skin, and Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy. She writes and lives in Queensland with her daughter, cats, and parrots.
Martina Heiduczek grew up in a small fishing village on the Baltic Sea in Germany, where she spent her time galloping through the forests on her Shetland pony, drawing, or reading. She now lives in Australia and works as an illustrator. Her work is inspired by nature, people, places, and the things she sees, both moving and silly. Visit her online at MartinaHeiduczek.com.
