Song of the Current by Sarah Tolcser

“'Current carry you,' the folk of the riverlands say. It is many things. A greeting. A benediction. An acknowledgement that the river continues to flow around us, no matter what happens." That phrase is featured in SONG OF THE CURRENT by Sarah Tolcser which could be called a “swashbuckling adventure,” especially since it features privateers, magic spells and journeys via river and sea. And challenges are many for the heroine, Caro Oresteia, an 8^th generation wherryman who sails the cargo boat Cormorant with her father (Captain Nick) and a frogman named Fee. The adventure begins peacefully enough, but soon Caro’s father lands in the brig.  To save him, she is forced to transport important cargo which puts her own life in great danger.

There’s a bit of romance, but Caro is a strong and determined young woman, learning about herself and the world.  As one character tells her, “Power is a touchy thing.  You can use it to crush those without it, or lift them up.” It’s been a while since Hunger Games and Divergent were published, but SONG OF THE CURRENT should have similar appeal. I am already looking forward to a film version of this story.  Inspired in part by the classic Swallows and Amazons, SONG OF THE CURRENT received starred reviews from Kirkus and School Library Journal.

The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller

The Forbidden Orchid by Sharon Biggs Waller (A Mad Wicked Folly) is a romantic adventure story set in the late 1800’s.  Action takes place in England, on board ship, and in rural China for Elodie Buchanan, a young girl trying to save her family’s fortunes. 

The first half of the book explains how Elodie’s father is a botanist who was captured and tortured in China.  Returning to England and the then relatively new gardens at Kew, he is troubled in both mind and body and remains estranged from Elodie’s mother and many younger sisters (all named for flowers).  Ultimately, the family home is threatened with repossession and he must return to hunting plants in China, with Elodie deciding secretly to accompany him.  To me, this is where the story truly begins with some shipboard passages reminiscent of Avi’s The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Next, Elodie’s eyes are opened further as their group travels by smaller boat and then by horseback through China in search of a rare orchid. 

Despite the constraints of Victorian England, Elodie is a strong, if naive at times, heroine who grows in understanding and independence through her many adventures. The Forbidden Orchid is longish (almost 400 pages), but readers who persevere will be rewarded with a satisfying ending and can then look forward to a possible sequel with more adventures in China. The Forbidden Orchid received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. Sharon Biggs Waller completed formidable research and includes an extensive bibliography and author’s notes.