Pirates and Privateers - Tamara Moss's Books

Getting into trouble is second nature for Lintang. It’s not her intent; it just happens. The cause this time is Pelita the troublesome pixie. If not for her interference, Lintang would never have started the fire. If not for the fire, her mother would have the necessary ingredients to prepare the dish for the banquet. But when asked, Lintang blames the fire on a pirate. She doesn’t mean for the lie to slip out, but really, who’s going to believe a pixie did it?

And her punishment is super severe. She may not attend the banquet. She may not meet Captain Shafira of Allay. Her idol! The woman who can take her away from this boring island. The pirate who can take Lintang on adventure. It’s a chance she just can’t miss, which leads Lintang deeper into trouble. If she can replace the ingredient her mother needs, then her mother will allow her to attend the banquet, and she’ll finally meet Captain Shafira.

To assist her in this quest, she enlists the help of her best (and only) friend, Bayani. They are both twelve, but that’s where the similarities end. He’s responsible, but since being ill, he’s also secretive. He loves mythies, names them, even talks to them as if they are people. And that pesky Pelita is always hanging around him. Bayani will initially say no to her plan, but Lintang always gets him to do her bidding.

Of course, things don’t quite go as planned. A flowery scent and a clacking noise warn of danger . . . very bad danger. Somehow, she figures out how to get them out of this dilemma, but the malam rasha or night terror isn’t about to allow its prey to escape. She and Bayani have to warn the villagers. But who will believe them? After all, she is a gifted storyteller like her grandfather. Instead of helping the villagers, she angers them and her mother threatens her with dire consequences. Until a beautiful woman backs up Lintang’s story and promises to rid them of the malam rasha for a price.

Lintang is awestruck that she not only meets her idol, but that Captain Shafira also believes her. Now, if only she can convince the pirate captain to take her aboard the pirate ship when she leaves. Wishes, however, often come true, but not in the way one expects.

This the first entry in a new fantasy series for young readers. It includes an eclectic group of female pirates, including one who prefers to dress as a boy, and a host of mythical creatures, such as mermaids, a dragon, a sea serpent, and the harvester or Goddess of Death. To assist readers in understanding these beasties, Moss scatters pages from The Mythie Guidebook throughout the story that explain what they eat, where they live, how they behave, and just how dangerous they are. Although this adventure takes place in a fantasy world, it has Asian elements woven into the narrative. Captain Sharif is a larger-than-life pirate who may remind readers of Zheng Yi Sao, and Lintang is an amazing young girl with whom readers will readily identify. Lintang and the Pirate Queen is a tale of friendship, trust, and obedience that is spiced with danger, infection, and wondrous ships and places. It is an adventure that pirates young and old will enjoy, and when it ends, they will eagerly await the next journey of Lintang, the Pirate Queen, and their friends.

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