SCARLET MORNING

Two lonely children find adventure on the high seas.

On the desolate salt-strewn land of Caveat in Dickerson’s Sea, Viola and Wilmur lived with their ill-tempered caretaker, Hestur. She told the children all about how the salt came to ravage the land following a cataclysmic event called the Great Blow, which transpired after a bloodthirsty pirate known as Scarlet Morning murdered the beloved queen, Hail Meridian, and stole her crown. After waking up one day to find Hestur gone, the children grew up in isolation. When a pirate ship, the Calamary Rose, captained by the delightfully snarky Cadence Chase, arrives on Caveat’s shores, Viola and Wilmur decide to join them. They soon find themselves on an epic, swashbuckling journey replete with revelry, drama, secrets, cursed (and very creepy) sea gulls, and (perhaps their most difficult challenge) separation from each other. Acclaimed graphic novelist Stevenson shines in his prose debut; his worldbuilding is clever and highly immersive, conveying an atmosphere that’s completely novel while also nostalgic. With its pirates, magic, adventure, friendship, and found family, this middle-grade gem comes very close to achieving the impossible—having something for everyone. The edge-of-your-seat cliffhanger ending will leave readers panting for the next series entry. Fluid, atmospheric spot art and full-page illustrations punctuate the text, adding to the dramatic tension. The artwork shows Wilmur with light skin and a shock of spiky hair and Viola with dark skin and Afro-textured hair.

Engaging, exciting, and enthralling in equal measure.