The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe

The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe by Karen Foxlee. Allen and Unwin 2025. Middle-Grade hardback RRP $24.99. ISBN 9781761182020

Reviewed by Debra Williams

The year is 1719. Lavender Wolfe is a “clapperdudgeon” and “pickpurse”, trained by her mother. She is alone on a wharf when she is snatched by a woman known as Big Agatha and thrown into the galley of a pirate ship, The Good Marchioness.

Lavender is disguised as a boy because only boys can live and work in the galley. She is renamed Hans Whitby and has to make her home among the “kitchen rats.” The problem is that The Good Marchioness is no ordinary ship. It is captained by the strange and fierce Odyessia Pleasant, who sports a wing instead of an arm. The crew are on a desperate voyage: to find and return stolen treasure before all who sail on the cursed pirate ship are to sand, including Lavender.

She is quick-witted and sharp. Captain Pleasant soon realises that Lavender can read the winds, thereby assisting the ship to find the ghost ship they seek to break the curse on the Captain and the Good Marchioness.

This novel involves much adventure; however, it also contains some heavy themes for the target readership. Lavender appears to have been abandoned by her mother, who is spending her time in a local pub, whilst Lavender awaits her return, something that never happens.  *Sensitivity warning*: this story is a pirate’s tale, and, as such, involves scenes of severe drunkenness, looting and murder. Some of Lavender’s kitchen rat friends die, and this is a harsh blow to an 11-year-old. Certain terms, such as describing the captain as “three sheets to the wind” (a description of severe drunkenness), would not be known or understood by the MG age group (some adults have recently mentioned they have never heard of the expression either). It also features supernatural themes, including an attempt to reverse a curse with unexpected results. Lavender desperately hopes that the reversal will bring back her deceased mates, which is also something that doesn’t happen.

It is intended for readers 9-12 years of age.