*The Ship of Stolen Words by Fran Wilde

The Ship of Stolen Words is light, enjoyable fantasy anchored by a worthy theme.

*The Ship of Stolen Words by Fran Wilde. Abrams, 2021, 386 pages.

Reading Level: Middle Grades, ages 10-12

Recommended for: Ages 8-14

“Sorry was the kind of word that had always rolled off Sam’s tongue like a bright coin and made everyone relax.” He didn’t have to mean it, and often didn’t mean it, but how could he know how important the word was until it wasn’t there? No kidding: he wanted to say I’m sorry after hurting his best friend’s feelings on the last day of school, but he couldn’t. Same with I apologize, and I regret. Not even when his teacher demanded an apology, and the issue went all the way to the principal, who threatened to take him off the softball team. The word was gone.

It had, in fact, been stolen. The culprits were goblins, small green people living in an alternate world where technology was powered by hot air. And the hot air came from—guess what?—stolen words from our world. Especially the careless words people throw out without thinking. “They’re the best kind—universal-donor hot air, inoffensive to the nose or the ear.” Not all the goblins are malicious; the boy and his grandma who stole Sam’s words were only trying to preserve their modest way of life. But once Sam finds his way into their world, he must join forces with these petty thieves against the sky pirates who wouldn’t mind stealing all the human words to power their ships and machines. Advertising is a gold mine! (And Sam’s father just happens to work in a public-relations firm.)

This whimsical fantasy has it all: well-drawn characters, swift pacing, and thoughtful words about words and the power of language. Imagine how many worlds could be powered by the hot air in our own public discourse! Jesus warned we would be accountable for every word we say, but thankfully there’s grace: “A lot of people learn how to use language correctly by misusing it first,” says Sam’s father. “It’s all part of growing up.” The Ship of Lost Words is an enjoyable read, but might also help a young reader grow up, just a little, in respecting language.

Overall Rating: 4.5 (out of 5)

• Worldview/moral value: 4
• Artistic/literary value: 5

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Also at Redeemed Reader

Reviews: For more fantasies about airships, see our reviews of the Airborn trilogy, the Fog Diver series, and the Hungry Cities Chronicles.

Reviews: Speaking of words, see “Word Shapers: Four Men Who Influenced the English Language” (picture book biographies).

Review: The Book of Languages: Talk Your Way around the World

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