Review sponsored* by J.L. McCreedy
The Children’s Book Review | May 7, 2016
Written by J.L. McCreedy
Illustration by Cristina Movilaenu
Age Range: Middle Grade/Young Adult
Hard cover: 256 pages
Publisher: Penelope Pipp Publishing (forthcoming)
ISBN-13: 978-0988236950
What to expect: Adventure, Strong Narrative, Excitement, Compelling Characters
Liberty Frye and the Sails of Fate is the follow up book to the wonderful Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen. Like that first book, this one begins with a compelling “warning” to readers advising them that they are not in for typical young adult fare: “If you have acquired this tome hoping it is a tale filled with beautiful princesses and prancing ponies, close the cover and walk away.” Aside from the content, the form and style of the book itself is not typical: the writing is beautiful and fast-paced in a way that has few equals in the genre today.
We meet Libby on her eleventh birthday, aboard a ship named Liberté, as she is traveling to receive a mysterious gift. In addition to facing adolescence, she has the added burden of Ginny, “the world’s most perfect foster daughter.” Things begin to look up when Uncle Frank reveals to Libby that he has a very mysterious machine that can teleport objects! When Uncle Frank accidentally teleports the ship itself, Libby and everyone on board have to figure out what to do next, and this is when the adventures begin.
Like the first book in the series, Liberty Frye and the Sails of Fate is written with elegance, creativity, and rare verve: the sentences fly off the page and the characterizations put the reader right in the center of the action. Alongside this very modern sense of pacing and style, there’s a timeless feel to the book, which reads like a classic. It seems as though the characters are part of an indispensible series that has been around for a very long time.
As the crew moves across the international date line and beyond, they encounter whales, an albatross and several helpful rats. J.L. McCreedy suggests a layer of maturity and development—Libby has just turned eleven, after all—in the tale, encompassing the journey of Libby’s growing up within a story that already encompasses magic, adventure, geography, and the work of Edvard Munch, not to mention discussions of the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle. All along the way, the reader sails happily along with the crew. An indispensably intelligent and adventurous work that is sure to be loved by all!
Add this book to your collection: Liberty Frye and the Sails of Fate
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About J.L. McCreedy
J.L. McCreedy first learned a love of writing (and developed an incurable condition of wanderlust) while growing up in Southeast Asia as the child of missionaries. She holds a B.A. in English and a law degree, freelances as a writer and consultant for charitable organizations and, whenever possible, drags her splendid husband across the globe on ill-planned, shoestring adventures. Visit her at www.TongaTime.com!
LibertyFrye.com | TongaTime.com | Instagram
Also by J.L. McCreedy:
Liberty Frye and the Witches of Hessen (Book 1)
The Orphan of Torundi
Dedicated Reviews allow authors and illustrators to gain prompt visibility for their work. The author of “Liberty Frye and the Sails of Fate,” J.L. McCreedy, sponsored* this non-biased review. Learn more about getting a book review …