Scarlet Morning

Gr 5 Up–Viola and Wilmur have grown up alone on a dead island in Dickerson’s Sea. They spend their days scavenging, inventing games, and reading The Book, which was left behind by their former caretaker and can only be opened by solving complex puzzles. When the mysterious Captain Chase arrives looking for The Book, Viola and Wilmur offer it if they can go along. So begins the adventure of a lifetime, involving the murdered queen Hail Meridian, a bevy of pirates and Queensmen, secret puzzles, and—maybe—the famed pirate Scarlet Morning. Stevenson has already left a legacy with his graphic novel Nimona, and he will surely leave a mark on the prose scene with this illustrated novel. This is a truly fantastic title, offering complicated heroes and villains, intriguing mysteries and backstories, and moments of genuine creepiness that will have readers gripping their seats. It takes a bit of time for the plot to pick up, but the reward is well worth the wait: reading this is like finding a pot of gold. Stevenson has crafted a diverse cast of characters with various skin tones and identities; Viola is depicted in illustrations with dark skin.