September 23, 2019
In a vibrant world reminiscent of a fantastical maritime Southeast Asia, 12-year-old Lintang’s greatest wish is to trade her staid island life for adventure on the high seas. When pirate queen Captain Shafira chooses her to join her crew, Lintang’s joy seems complete, until she discovers her best friend, Bayani, hiding in the ship’s cargo hold. In addition to proving herself a worthy pirate, Lintang must now unravel a web of secrets that begins with Bayani and ends with the gods themselves. In her U.S. debut, Australian author Moss layers the tale’s world and mythology with a lurking specter of historical imperialism that permeates the characters’ lives. Excerpts from the “Mythie Guidebook,” a world-specific encyclopedia of monsters encountered by the characters, precede the chapters and add to the world’s complexity. In a cast of powerful and charmingly eccentric female characters, high-spirited Lintang distinguishes herself with a vulnerability and, often, immaturity that slowly gives way to burgeoning leadership. Women of color take center stage in this fast-paced adventure about friendship, loyalty, and defiantly fighting for one’s destiny. Ages 10–12.
May 9, 2017
Lintang lives in a world where creatures known as ‘mythies’ cause mayhem. Her home, the island of Desa, is protected by a sea monster, and Lintang yearns to travel out into the world and away from a place where she feels unwanted and odd. So when the Pirate Queen Captain Shafira arrives at Desa, Lintang comes up with a plan to join the ship on its hunt for sea mythies. Lintang’s curiosity and headstrong nature have always caused her problems, but Captain Shafira sees her potential. However, once aboard the ship, Lintang struggles to be useful while staying out of trouble, especially as she encounters events that could change the world. Lintang and the Pirate Queen by debut author Tamara Moss is full of well-paced adventure, maintaining the reader’s interest with cleverly foreshadowed twists in the action. Moss has created an unusual fantasy world, peopled with a pleasingly diverse cast of characters and containing a thought-provoking undertone that will hopefully continue to play out in later instalments. Interspersed with stunning illustrations by James Brouwer, this middle-grade fantasy adventure should appeal to fans of Lian Tanner and Catherine Jinks aged nine and up.
Tehani Croft is a lecturer in teacher-librarianship, a publisher and literary awards judge