Catherine and the Pirate

Bibliography:Hawkins, K. (2002) Catherine and the Pirate. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

Genre:Teen Romance

Reading Level/Interest Age:12-15 yrs

Reader's Annotation:Catherine risks a dangerous sea voyage with the dashing Captain St. John in order to rescue her brother from kidnappers.

Author:Karen Hawkins (also publishing under the name Julia Quinn) writes historical romance novels, many of which are set in Scotland. She has published over eighteen novels; Catherine and the Pirate is her only YA romance.

Plot Summary:The main character Catherine is an orphan living in Revolutionary War era Boston. When she receives word that her beloved brother Royce has been kidnapped, she leaves her uncle behind in search of him. Catherine’s destination is Savannah, Georgia, so she seeks the assistance of her brother’s friend Derrick St. John, a daring blockade-runner with a shadowy past. Derrick agrees to transport Catherine to Savannah and to assist her in rescuing her brother. During the voyage, Catherine learns about sailing and develops feelings for Derrick. Their romance is short-lived, however, as Catherine and Derrick face adventures at sea and dangers upon their arrival in Savannah. As they get closer to uncovering the whereabouts of Royce, a previously unseen danger complicates their plans.

Critical Evaluation:The plot is thin and fairly predictable. In the post-“Pirates of the Caribbean” age, this story is especially cliché, but it is still enjoyable. Thankfully, Catherine’s naiveté does not last through the entire book. She does mature somewhat as a character, but is usually predictable. (She dresses up as a boy, runs away from home, exhibits bravery in the face of danger, nurses the injured sailor back to health, faints on cue, etc.) One reason this is a “teen” romance is the innocence of the affection that Catherine and Derrick have for each other. It is love, not lust. This is believable on the part of Catherine, but not so much for the older sea captain. It’s hard to believe his interest in Catherine, a younger, meddlesome girl. Also, Catherine’s dog George, a huge, shaggy protector, jumps in for comic relief every time things start to get serious. There is not much real danger, not with the slobbering hound around. Any readers who like “The Pirates of the Caribbean” stories or any of the myriad pirate adventure stories that sprang out of it will enjoy Catherine and the Pirate.

Curriculum Ties: Book reports (student's choice)

Book Talk Ideas:Introduce characters, read a chapter of the book

Challenge Issues:Inappropriate language, violence

Why was this text included in this project? This novel was included to expand the breadth of this blog to include teen romance.