Wednesday, August 3, 2016

Book Review: The Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom by Jonny Duddle

I received a free physical copy of this book from Templar and The Reading Room in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Jolley-Rogers and the Cave of Doom
Series: The Jolley-Rogers #2
Author: Jonny Duddle
Publisher: Templar
Publication Date: August 2, 2016
Genre: Children's, Adventure
Length: 160 pages
Format: Paperback
Source: The Reading Room

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Synopsis: 
Ahoy, me hearties! Matilda and the Pirates Next Door return in a series of illustrated stories for young readers.

While the Jolley-Rogers are enjoying a day at the beach, Dad and Mom and little sister Nugget are mysteriously drawn into a cave. When they don't return, Jim Lad is suspicious and sends Bones the dog to Dull-on-Sea to find Matilda before he, too, ventures into the cave. Jim Lad soon discovers a magical haul of treasure inside the cave that has bewitched his family. Will the cave's sinister sea hags keep them prisoner forever, or can Matilda and Bones come to the Jolley-Rogers' rescue?

My Thoughts: 
The Jolley-Rogers is a family of pirates that sail the open seas in a ship named Blackhole. One day, Dad declares that it's the perfect day to visit the beach. While Jim Lad and his mom go surfing, his dad and little sister, Nugget, go searching for buried treasure with the help of their metal detector. When they enter a cave and don't return, the mother goes in after them. When she doesn't return, Jim Lad is sure something is up so he sends his penpal friend, Tilly, a letter attached to the collar of his dog, Bones, and goes in after his family. 

The Jolley-Rogers series is about the adventures of a pirate family of four that tends to get themselves into sticky situations but ultimately always have a great time.

This starts out with three old hags brewing up a cauldron of scurvy, slimy things and chanting things and it really sets the tone for this book. It is a children's story so it isn't creepy but the witches give it a sort of dark and mysterious vibe. Their reason for luring pirates into their dark cave was quite harmless and also kind of funny. Likewise, Tilly's 'magic' had me snickering.

The illustrations are  really fun and immersive. I really enjoyed how they brought the story to life. Some pages were entirely illustrations while others were both story and pictures, intertwined. 

This was fun and humorous adventure that I am sure all kids will enjoy. 

My Rating: 4 stars

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