The Ship of Stolen Words

April 12, 2021
Wilde (Riverland) explores the meaning of words, intent, and sincerity in a quickly paced portal fantasy that’s both imaginative and thoughtful. When a chance encounter with a word-stealing goblin renders 11-and-a-half-year-old Sam Culver, cued as white, incapable of apologizing, he begins to understand language’s power. While he’s always used “sorry” as an insincere get-out-of-trouble card, he finds himself in hot water when he can’t say it for real to his best friend, brown-skinned Mason, after hurting her feelings at school. His attempts to recover the missing phrase lead him through a portal into the marshlands, where carelessly used and misplaced words mined from Earth are used for myriad purposes, including technological advancement and industrialization. Now Sam must work with Tolver, the goblin who took his regrets, to stop a ruthless cabal of word prospectors before they swipe every empty utterance from his home. Sam’s attempts to repair his friendship with Mason, bond with five-year-old sister Bella, and learn to trust Tolver emphasize friends and family, while Wilde’s depiction of the marshlands’ struggle with ethical sustainability presents a fascinating setting worth further development. A great tale for any word-loving adventure seeker. Ages 8–12. Agent: Andrea Somberg, Harvey Klinger Literary.

April 15, 2021
Sam finds that words really do matter in Mount Cloud. After a strange encounter with an old lady and her pet pig, Sam loses the ability to say sorry. When he upsets his best friend, Mason, with an unkind remark during class, the school expects him to apologize--but he cannot, even though sorry was a word he used quite freely whenever anything went wrong. To get his word back and get himself out of trouble, Sam embarks on an adventure into the world of goblins. Goblin word thieves Tolver and his grandmother, however, have their own reasons for stealing people's words. This fantasy world is wonderfully built in a fashion reminiscent of Paul Stewart's The Edge Chronicles. The concept of the useless or disbelieving adult is thoroughly subverted, with adults not only believing, but helping Sam. Family and friends are key to the characters' development, serving as catalysts for change and as valuable supports. The plot itself is sure to comfort young readers struggling with literacy, language acquisition, or impulsive speech, with its message that misusing words is an important part of learning. Twists and turns will keep readers engaged and thinking about the text long after they have finished reading. Main characters default to White. Delightful and sure to keep readers looking for goblins long after the final page has been turned. (Fantasy. 8-12)

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May 15, 2021
Grades 4-7 Like all humans, Sam is occasionally thoughtless or clumsy. Luckily, he's discovered that throwing a "sorry!" at the offended party seems to make things better. But after an odd encounter with a wizened old woman, Sam finds that his magic word is missing. No sorry, no apologize--he can't form or even write the words. When a bewildered Sam discovers that his overused words were stolen by well-intentioned goblins for conversion into hot air to power their machines and ships, he agrees to help a young goblin, Tolver, and his grandmother in exchange for his words back, and soon Sam and Tolver find themselves in a predicament that spans both the human and goblin worlds, threatening to irrevocably alter them both. The basic premise--overused words equaling hot air--is clever, and it's astonishing how creatively the simple idea is expanded. Wilde's writing is quick and playful, the adults refreshingly helpful, and it's a pleasure to tag along on the goblin and human adventures. A terrific tribute to the power of words.

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June 18, 2021

Gr 3-7-When Tolver and his Nana, two goblins traveling to the human world on a shapeshifting white pig, steal an important word from Sam on the last day of fifth grade, it triggers a fantastical chain of events that threaten both human and goblin existence. Sam quickly learns how difficult life can be if you aren't able to say "sorry," and Tolver, whose family steals misused words for the magical hot air that powers the goblin world, learns that magic is more complicated than he could have imagined. This novel offers rich world-building; a wide cast of well-realized characters, both human and goblin; and all the piracy, mechanical flying pigs, and elaborate goblin traps a reader could hope for. While the book's length and meandering plot may deter some readers, those who stay with it will be rewarded with a fun fantasy adventure that demonstrates the power of our words. Most characters are white or their ethnicities are not described; names cue minor characters' diverse ethnicities. VERDICT This book is an excellent purchase that will circulate widely with fans of middle grade portal fantasies like Jessica Townsend's "Nevermoor" and Brandon Mull's "Fablehaven" series.-Molly Saunders, Manatee County P.L., Bradenton, FL

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