Pirates! Magic! Treasure! A gargoyle?!

Caroline Carlson’s funny tween novel The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates #1: Magic Marks the Spot is perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events and Trenton Lee Stewart’s Mysterious Benedict Society.

Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of a life of pirate adventure. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors, and she already owns a rather pointy sword.

There’s only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.

But Hilary is not the kind of girl to take no for answer. To escape a life of petticoats and politeness at her stuffy finishing school, Hilary sets out in search of her own seaworthy adventure, where she gets swept up in a madcap quest involving a map without an X, a magical treasure that likely doesn’t exist, a hilarious talking gargoyle sidekick, a crew of misfit scallywags, and the most treacherous—and unexpected—villain on the High Seas.

Written with uproarious wit and an inviting storyteller tone, the first book in Caroline Carlson’s quirky seafaring series is a middle grade fantasy tale like no other.

Hilary is determined to prove that girls can be pirates, too. What happens when she trades finishing school for the High Seas?

• A Fearless Heroine: Hilary Westfield can tie knots faster than a fleet of sailors and tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She’s ready to be a pirate, even if the boys’ club won’t let her in.
• A Magical Quest: Join a madcap search for a legendary treasure with a map that has no X, a crew of misfit scallywags, and an unexpected villain.
• Friendship and Found Family: From a stuffy finishing school to the High Seas, Hilary discovers that the best crew is the one you choose—especially when it includes a stone gargoyle with a lot to say.
• Laugh-Out-Loud Humor: A funny fantasy adventure perfect for kids who love witty characters, quirky situations, and a story that never takes itself too seriously.