Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise Book Reviews
- Sarah Ickes
- Feb 18
- 3 min read
According to an online seller, these books are for 6 - 8 year olds (or anyone young at heart).
I found out about these books at my local bookshop, and couldn't wait to try them! (especially after seeing that the first installment was Pirates of the Caribbean 😄) What convinced me even further to read them, was not only the premise of the storyline, but also the fact that Ridley Pearson was the author. Having previously been introduced to Mr. Pearson's writing style in the "Kingdom Keepers" series, I was excited for these new releases...and I was not disappointed!
Even though I have grouped both books into his review, I have written them separately so I can go more in-depth with each story.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Magical Map #1
Gemma is heartbroken that her family is closing down their bookshop and moving to Orlando where her mother gets a job at Disney World. As her relationship with her brother, Torin, seems to be changing from their days of adventure and imagination, she finds comfort in an odd journal that a stranger placed at their shop right before they moved. She reads the stories and finds herself wondering what it would be like if things were slightly different than the way they were written. But when her mother tells her that an issue at work has her staying late, Gemma tries to fix the problem. Along with Torin's help, the siblings discover that perhaps magic really does exist when they learn about a secret hidden within the book.
I really enjoyed the story and following along with the siblings as they deciphered the strange journal and attempted to solve the issue on their own. Unfortunately, I fear that if I dive too much more into the story, it will spoil it for the rest of my fellow readers. All I can say...is that I am excited to sink my teeth into the next one!
Jungle Cruise: Magical Map #2
After being at their new school for a few months now, Gemma and Torin have befriend another pair of siblings, Juniper and Jordan, who's parents also work for Disney World. Since they all have passes into the parks, the foursome go in search of answers to the rumor that the Jungle Cruise ride is having issues. Despite being discouraged by the park employees to go near the area, the group naturally find their own way to investigate with a little help from a drone. While Gemma isn't thrilled about the new additions to her and her brother's adventures, she's even more worried that Torin might reveal their secret to impress Juniper. But when they discover that the animals on Jungle Cruise Island are being moved around every night, can Torin and his sister unearth who the real culprits are? Or will they be caught in the act of trying to make things right?
This book was a great sequel to the first installment of the "Magical Map" series! I feel as though I am there at the park from the descriptions, and can picture the brother and sister duo so vividly in my mind through their genuine laughter and humor. From well-developed characters, to a thought-out storyline, and the magical elements that brought a smile to my face, I thoroughly enjoyed this mystery from beginning to end. Perhaps it is a magical map of its own kind?
What do you think?
All in all, both of these mysteries were fun reads that kept bringing me back for more! For the first two in this series, I have actually ridden their rides at the park, so it was neat to be "revisiting" them through the books. As for the third one, however, I have yet to take a trip into The Haunted Mansion. But I am just as excited to dive into the third one that was just released this month. 😀
Want to buy your own copy of the above-mentioned books? Don't forget to check out your local bookshop, or you can visit Bookshop.org for all of your bookish needs. It is a great website where you can buy any genre book and a portion of the sale goes to whichever indie bookshop you choose.
Thanks for reading my reviews and see ya next time!
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