The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe

Karen Foxlee

$24.99

Hardback

Forthcoming
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English

Allen & Unwin
18 November 2025

Children's & Educational; Adventure stories (Children's&YA); Fantasy & magical realism (Children's&YA)

'A fabulous magical quest, strange and wonderful.' Judith Rossell, bestselling author of The Midwatch

Lavender Wolfe is a clapperdudgeon and pickpurse, with a magical secret. She is all alone on a wharf when she is snatched by Big Agatha and thrown into the galley of a pirate ship, The Good Marchioness.

Disguised as a boy (for only boys may live in the galley) and renamed Hans Whitby, Lavender has to make her home among the kitchen rats. However, The Good Marchioness is no ordinary ship. Captained by Odyessia Pleasant, a fierce pirate with long blonde hair, violet eyes and a bird's wing in place of an arm, the crew are on a desperate voyage - to find and return stolen treasure before all those who sail within the cursed pirate ship are turned to sand. Lavender included.

Lavender is quick-witted and sharp as a tack, and as her magic starts to be revealed she finds herself coming under the arresting gaze of Captain Pleasant. Will Lavender help break the curse? Or will she be just another victim of this story within a story, her true identity lost to the sands of time?

An adventure as big as the ocean and as warm as your heart. All aboard!

'A teaspoon of skullduggery, a hearty dollop of swashbuckling and a barrelful of heart ... This magical tale will make any young landlubber long for adventure at sea.' Reece Carter, bestselling author of A Girl Called Corpse

'Exquisite. A marvel of imagination and adventure.' Jaclyn Moriarty, award-winning author of the Kingdoms and Empires series

'Bold, original and gloriously fantastical.' Lian Tanner, award-winning author of Spellhound

By: Karen Foxlee
Imprint: Allen & Unwin
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 208mm, Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781761182020
ISBN 10: 1761182021
Pages: 400
Publication Date: 18 November 2025
Recommended Age: From 9 to 12 years
Audience: Children/juvenile , English as a second language
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

Karen Foxlee is an Australian author who writes for both children and young adults. Her multi-award-winning books include Ophelia and the Marvellous Boy, A Most Magical Girl, the Miss Mary-Kate Martin's Guide to Monsters series, Lenny's Book of Everything and Dragon Skin. Karen writes and lives in Queensland with her daughter, cats and parrots. She loves books, swimming in the sea, planning holidays she can't afford, and baking cakes whenever she has more important things to do.

Reviews for The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe

'I loved The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe! Karen Foxlee is one of my favourite writers, and this is exquisitely written: a marvel of imagination and adventure.' Jaclyn Moriarty, award-winning author of the Kingdoms and Empires series 'A fabulous magical quest, strange and wonderful.' Judith Rossell, bestselling author of The Midwatch 'Bold, original and gloriously fantastical. A stunning book. I loved Lavender Wolfe and her adventures to bits.' Lian Tanner, award-winning author of Spellhound 'The Wondrous Tale of Lavender Wolfe proves again why Karen Foxlee is one of Australia's finest writers for children. Made with a teaspoon of skullduggery, a hearty dollop of swashbuckling and a barrelful of heart, this magical tale will make any young landlubber long for adventure at sea. Shiver me timbers, this was good.' Reece Carter, bestselling author of A Girl Called Corpse