Morwenna Banks brings Katherine and all her friends (and enemies) to life in a way that allows the listener to be right beside Katherine from the moment the adventure starts all the way to the end. Her inflection is spot on in all the right places and she is truly gifted in giving each character a unique voice.

The book is written for children ages seven and up, but even adults will enjoy listening. (I also had access to the e-book, which includes color pictures, but Banks does such a fabulous job that I ended up using the book to write my notes for this review.)

I particularly love the way she emphasizes “girl” pirates and says Katherine’s favorite words, “Supermurgatroid” and “Humongous!” I wanted to cry when Katherine’s world falls apart when Sammy injures Bienkie, and I laughed a lot at Katherine’s dilemma about how to go to the bathroom in Kveldulf, a Viking longboat. The Twisted Sisters reminded me of the three witches in MacBeth. I particularly enjoyed meeting Harry Gold and his Pieces of 8, an assortment of men from the past who assist Katherine in her quest for girl pirates. As she journeys through history, we meet Simon Danseker, Eustace the Black Monk, John Paul Jones, Woodes Rogers, Nathaniel Mist, Daniel Defoe, and a woman pirate (although I won’t say which one).

If I have any reservation about this audiobook, it’s the cover art. It’s not appealing to the eye and gives the wrong impression about what the book is about. This was not the case with either the cover art for the hardback or paperback versions – both of which come closer to hinting at what the book is about. The audio version is more reminiscent of virtual reality or steampunk, neither of which has anything to do with the story.

Each evening, when I sat to listen to the story while doing jigsaw puzzles, I found myself eager to discover where Katherine’s journey would lead her and who she would meet next. I wanted the tale to go on and on, but alas it does come to an end . . . but Annie Holmes assures listeners that Katherine will return in Katherine of Carrick: The Secret History of the Mongols. I heartily recommend this audiobook to readers and I am amazed at how ingeniously Annie Holmes wove a wide array of history into a children’s tale filled with magic and detecting. Best of all? It’s a story about Girls and Girl Pirates!