Reviewer
Lavanya Karthik: Lavanya is from Mumbai, India and is a licensed
architect and consultant in environmental management. She lives in
Mumbai with her husband and six-year old daughter. She loves reading
and enjoys a diverse range of authors across genres.
Author: Douglas Quinn
Publisher: White Heron Press
ISBN: 9 781470 093365
Author: Douglas Quinn
Publisher: White Heron Press
ISBN: 9 781470 093365
Fourth in a series of chapter books starring intrepid child sleuth Quinn Higgins, “Blackbeard..” is a breezy fun read about two children on the trail of hidden treasure.
It’s summer, and Quinn Higgins is visiting with his aunt and cousin, the McPhees, over on Okraoke Island,North Carolina. And what’s an old island without pirate lore, right? For Quinn soon learns of the legend of pirate treasure hidden somewhere on the island, and the solitary clue that continues to stymie its many hunters . Quinn and Summer have little time to lose – Summer’s mom is in danger of losing her house and desperately needs the money. Armed with that single clue, and ignoring the threats of the surly Peterson, a fisherman obsessed with finding the treasure himself, Quinn and Summer set out to help save the McPhee residence – and have an adventure to remember . Beating the odds –mostly in the form of disapproving adults – the duo proves both courageous and cunning in unraveling the mystery of Edward Teach’s legendary hoard.
I enjoyed the essential innocence of the book, and the portrayal of its child protagonists reminded me of the Enid Blyton adventures I devoured as a kid – simple, wholesome stories that celebrate the joys of childhood and family. My one complaint with the book would be its brevity – at just over a hundred pages, the mystery is over almost as soon as it has begun, and the eponymous treasure too easily found . Also, given contemporary trends in kidlit, most young readers are going to expect far more thrills and suspense than the book delivers.
This would be a good series to get reluctant readers to pick up a book, as it combines interesting themes with likeable characters and an uncomplicated storyline.