"All the Champions had a few traits in common - such as determination, courage, adaptability, and a strong capacity for independent thinking."
Here are the first few sentences of this new book which will be part of a series:
On the vast ocean, inside the rotting ship, behind the locked door with the barred window, Cori was trying to escape again. Sunrise must have been a while away yet, because the Harridan’s hold was cooler than during the day, and utterly dark. The ship was quieter, too. Instead of her crewmates’ voices or footsteps, Cori heard only the timbers creaking, and the scuffling of rats, and the smelly bilge water sloshing below her.
I would read this to a group of students in Grade 4 or 5 and then pose some questions such as - what do we know about the setting from this scene? Is Cori safe? What might have happened to her? Now take a look at the cover of the book - does this aid your story predictions.
I learned a new word on the opening pages of this book - lazarette - A lazarette is a compartment found in the aft section of a boat or ship, often beneath the deck. It is primarily used for storage and can hold a variety of items, such as ropes, fenders, spare parts, tools, and other equipment necessary for the operation and maintenance of the vessel. On smaller boats, the lazarette may also house important mechanical components like steering gear, bilge pumps, or electrical systems. The term originates from the Italian word “lazzaretto,” which referred to a quarantine station for maritime travellers, but in a nautical context, it has come to describe this specific storage area.
With a group of students I would talk about how I did not bother to search out this word because I could guess from the context that it was under the ship and that Cori was being held as a prisoner.
This is a gripping story of danger and destiny. The opening scenes are fabulous because as a reader you have to work hard to "join the dots". Read the first chapter here.
Blurb from author page: The realm of Aquinta has fallen into a dark age. And no one knows that better than thirteen-year-old Cori, who is fighting for her life in a pirate crew more beastly than Aquinta's sea monsters. But Cori's life changes when she finds the Oceanforged Gauntlet - a piece of armour belonging to the legendary Champions who once ruled the islands. Whoever wears the armour wields the Champions' magic and has the power to return Aquinta to its lost glory. Cori must begin a treacherous journey to find the rest of the armour. But first, she'll have to escape from the brutal Captain Scrimshaw, who craves the gauntlet's magic for himself.
There are five pieces of armour so I imagine each book in this series will focus on the retrieval of these Oceanforged artifices - sword; helmet; shin covers (Greaves); body covering (Hauberk); and gauntlet.
The structure of this series reminded me of these:
Book two from Oceanforged is due early in 2026:
Blurb: Guided by a mysterious message, Cori, Tarn and Jem sail north to meet the secretive Loyalists, who will help them on their quest for the Oceanforged Armour. Instead, the Loyalists warn of a looming disaster. Unless Cori can master all the powers of the Champions before it strikes, Aquinta will be doomed. The Loyalists believe that a piece of armour may be hidden in Mutemount. But sea monsters once lurked in those waters, and no one who has travelled near the silent island in the last century has ever returned.
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