For young fans of pirates and swashbuckling tales, this novel centered around the new character of Carina Smith from Dead Men Tell No Tales is the perfect read to introduce children to the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise.
The Story: Carina may be an orphan, but she knows that she has a special destiny. The father that she never knew may have left her behind, but she’s sure that he meant for her to do great things – even if it means she has to bend the rules a little bit and get into trouble to discover the truth. From the orphanage where she is kept to a position at a grand lady’s home to the Caribbean where the truth of her heritage might finally be uncovered, Carina Smyth is willing to do whatever it takes and prove that she is worth her namesake.
My Thoughts: I remember the first Pirates of the Caribbean film I ever watched and the inevitable clamor for swashbuckling reads that followed. While children’s fiction has a generous supply, recently this genre of books has not been in as much demand so this new addition based off of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is definitely entertaining. Carina is an engaging heroine and her adventures prior to the film’s timeline are really fun to read. I recommend picking this up at some point.
Parental Advisories: If you’ve seen Dead Men Tell No Tales, this is even more tame. With the exception of some slight romantic elements (as well as an awkward interaction for parents to explain if they so choose between the characters of Henry and Carina), this book is squeaky clean.
