Torrie and the Pirate-Queen

Kristin Butcher writes novels for young adults. Her most recent works
are The Trouble with Liberty, Zee’s Way, and Chat Room.

Torrie is the oldest of The Old Things, a magical brownie-like creature
who lives in the Wild Forest. Though a practical fellow at heart, he has
a weakness for adventure, and when he catches wind of one, he can’t
resist chasing it down. In this case, the adventure involves a young sea
captain named Anna, a myriad of pirates, buried treasure, a curse, a sea
serpent, and a handsome prince. Leading a motley crew of retired
pirates, as well as Torrie, her dog, and her princely prisoner, Anna
sets out to rescue her father, who has been captured by Nevilla, the
pirate queen of the Granite Isles. But to secure his release, Anna must
first locate the treasure her grandfather stole from Nevilla many years
before and use it as barter.

This is a fun read. Much like a fairy tale, the story is built around
magic, adventure, action, and budding romance. The heroes are in
constant peril (numerous black-and-white illustrations enhance the
action), but because of the lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek manner in
which Torrie relates events, the reader is never really worried about
the outcome. Yes, Queen Nevilla has a bad temper, but according to her
son, she seldom kills anyone. And yes, there are lots of sword fights,
but no one even gets wounded (except the sea serpent). So it is no great
surprise that by the tale’s end, all problems are resolved and
everyone (except the sea serpent) lives happily ever after. Highly
recommended.