Ghost Ship (review)

Abstract

Reviewed by: Ghost Ship April Spisak Wilkins, Kim Ghost Ship illus. by D. M. Cornish. Random House, 2008 [96p] (The Sunken Kingdom) Library ed. ISBN 978-0-375-94806-0 $11.99 Paper ed. ISBN 978-0-375-84806-3 $5.99 Reviewed from galleys Ad Gr. 3–5 Royal siblings Asa and Rollo are running for their lives: their parents were killed the year before, and the Emperor Flood, the likely engine behind their assassination, has been making attempts to kill the prince and princess as well, with only their quick thinking standing between them and their doom. After revelations [End Page 446] that their infant sister may also still be alive and that Asa and Rollo have been granted heretofore unrevealed magical powers, the two intrepid sibs decide that journeying off on an invisible ship to reunite what family they have left is better than languishing in hiding, and they embark with relish. The delicate and nicely varied black-and-white illustrations pair well with the swift pace to attract both adventure fans and reluctant readers, who will likely get sucked in quickly. However, the three siblings’ characterizations (each with wildly divergent and essential skills that are exactly what is needed in a given pinch) are blandly reminiscent of Snicket’s protagonists, right down to the infant sibling with an unusual talent. In addition, the awkward dialogue between the children and key adults (as opposed to the natural flow between Asa and Rollo) seems more an opportunity to shoehorn in background details than an authentic component of the story. In spite of the weaknesses, this trim Australian import compensates by packing in shapeshifting, monsters, a daring rescue, and a new trio of staunch orphans to add to the juvenile fiction mix, and youngsters looking for a speedy, royal, magical, and unintimidating reading adventure will likely skim over the flaws. Copyright © 2008 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois