“Misfortunate Adventures: The Hunt for Blackbeard’s Treasure” by Jacob Hulsey is a very enjoyable and fun story for young readers that will also teach some very valuable lessons. I really enjoyed this story and think that Jacob Hulsey has done an excellent job of combining real-life issues that some children need to face with adventure and excitement that should be a part of the life of any young child, even those who do not get to head out on a ship and become a pirate.
In “The Hunt for Blackbeard’s Treasure,” we are introduced to Jack Dare. Jack lives in a home for orphans and does not spend a lot of time enjoying his life. It is full of bad food, bad adults, bullies, and the knowledge that people coming to the orphanage do not want to adopt a child as old as Jack. Overall, his day-to-day life is pretty boring and depressing.
So, what does young Jack do with his days…he spends them daydreaming of course. Our protagonist spends his time dreaming about and planning a life on the high seas. He much prefers thinking about the excitement, the treasure, the joy of having a different kind of family, and the adventure that he could have living the life of a pirate rather than the miserable life he has now at the orphanage. As of now, Jack has one thing that others do not that puts him closer to his goal…he has figured out where the pirate Blackbeard hid his treasure. Now all Jack has to do is somehow escape from the orphanage, somehow find a ship that will let him join the crew, somehow get around the world, and, finally, dig up the treasure first. How is he going to do all this you may ask? For that answer, you will just have to read the book for yourself or read it to your children.
Jacob Hulsey has given his readers, adults, and kids alike, a well-written adventure story that is full of everything we love. It has action, pirates, treasure, and a mysterious creature in the ocean that wants to help. The book also has a great deal of humor within the characters and that makes it even more fun to read. The characters are very well-developed, both the bad and the good ones, and keep you engaged throughout the story. You cannot begin the book and not become completely involved with Jack and all his friends, both new and old, as they progress through the journey.
In addition, I think the story has some very valuable lessons in it for children such as being courageous no matter what you might have to face, being kind to others, and encouraging kids to believe in themselves and what they want out of the world. All of this is very important to the development of a well-rounded and successful teenager/adult in the world and what better way to teach some of it than through the eyes of a child. I also love the fact the story shows us that families come in many different forms. It does not matter if it is a bit unconventional or not the family you started out with, it is still a family that you become a part of and love and trust. That was such a lovely part of this story and made it all worth it.
I would recommend “Misfortunate Adventures: The Hunt for Blackbeard’s Treasure” by Jacob Hulsey to everyone out there. For the younger children, it is a great adventure that I’m sure they would all like to be a part of; for the older children, it is a fun story with a lot of lessons about who you want to be and how you want to get there; for adults, it is simply a fun story to share with children and make them and yourself feel good while doing it. I loved this book and I hope to see more from this author going forward, either with these characters or new ones that continue such excellent and needed teachings for the younger generation.
