The Ship of Stolen Words (Hardcover)
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Description
A group of goblins steal a boy’s ability to apologize in this lively middle-grade fantasy from Nebula Award-winning author Fran Wilde
No matter how much trouble Sam gets in, he knows that he can always rely on his magic word, “sorry,” to get him out of a pinch. Teasing his little sister too much? Sorry! Hurt someone’s feelings in class? Sorry! Forgot to do his chores? So sorry! But when goblins come and steal his “sorry,” he can’t apologize for anything anymore. To get his “sorry” back and stop the goblins from stealing anyone else’s words, Sam will have to enter the goblins’ world and try and find the depository of stolen words.
There, he meets Tolver, a young goblin who’s always dreamed of adventure. Tolver longs to use the goblin technology—which can turn words into fuel to power ships—to set off and explore, but his grandma warns him that the goblin prospectors will only bring trouble.
Together, Tolver and Sam will have to outsmart the cruel prospectors and save the day before Sam’s parents ground him forever!
About the Author
Fran Wilde's novel include the 2019 Nebula Award-winning middle grade Riverland, which was also a Lodestar finalist and an NPR Favorite Book of 2019. She's also the author of the 2015 Nebula Award-winning Updraft (part of the Bone Universe trilogy). She writes for publications, including The Washington Post, NPR, The New York Times, and Tor.com. Fran lives in Philadelphia with her family and a rescue pup named Luna.
Praise For…
"Delightful and sure to keep readers looking for goblins long after the final page has been turned."
— Kirkus Reviews
"A great tale for any word-loving adventure seeker."
— Publishers Weekly
"Wilde’s writing is quick and playful, the adults refreshingly helpful, and it’s a pleasure to tag along on the goblin and human adventures."
— Booklist
"This novel offers rich world-building; a wide cast of well-realized characters, both human and goblin; and all the piracy, mechanical flying pigs, and elaborate goblin traps a reader could hope for."
— School Library Journal