“She knew in her bones that somewhere, somehow, there had been other girls like her.”
Aleja feels the pull of adventure, but she is just supposed to be satisfied helping work at her family’s tavern. She sneaks out at night to explore their city, Seville, but then also breaks into the library. She borrows books and spends the night reading them before hiding them under her bed. She’s supposed to be content, not searching for knowledge and wanting to see the ships that come into port. However, one night at the library, she discovers a hidden compartment with a book labeled with a famous explorer. On her way home, she makes a stop at the port to see the newest ship. Fate looks down on her and by picking up some dropped coins, she is suddenly hunted for having counterfeit money. She is offered refuge on the new ship, which is made up of a woman-only crew.
I read The Ship of Shadows as part of The Write Reads blog tour for the book. The storyline seemed interesting and I wanted to see if it was a book my own children would be interested in reading. Middle grade fiction can be a fun break to reading historical fiction and non-fiction books.
The ship sails from port that night while Aleja sleeps and she wakes up to the start of her life as a pirate. While the captain promises her that she can return home after they complete their next task, she also offers Aleja a permanent position on the ship. She is torn, but as she finds out more about the adventure, she becomes an integral part of the crew and makes friends.
The Ship of Shadows is a fun read, especially for girls. There is danger, treasure, puzzles and books. I did feel like it was easy to figure out what was going to happen next, but that may be reading it from an adult viewpoint. I’ll be curious to see what my daughters think of the book. However, if you know a middle-aged reader who loves pirates, she will adore The Ship of Shadows.
What is your favorite book for middle-grade readers? Share in the comments!