Magical Map #1: Pirates of the Caribbean -- Ridley Pearson, Paperback

New York Times bestselling author of the Kingdom Keepers series is back with an all-new Disney-inspired chapter book adventure!

Ten-year-old Gemma wishes everything could stay the same, but that's impossible after her mother accepts a new job at the Disney Parks in Orlando. Struggling to fit in and make friends, Gemma's focus is instead drawn to a weathered journal left behind in her mother's bookshop by a mysterious stranger. . . .

After Gemma discovers a hand-drawn map of Walt Disney World, riddles begin appearing across the page like magic! Even weirder are the problems her mother is facing at work: the animatronics on the Pirates of the Caribbean ride keep moving all on their own in the middle of the night.

With the help of her brother, Torin, Gemma discovers that the map can transport them onto the Pirates attraction. But there's something wrong--this version of the Pirates of the Caribbean ride has real live pirates! Will Gemma and Torin figure out a way to save the ride, or will they be forever trapped in the pirate stockades?

Author: Ridley Pearson
Publisher: Random House/Disney
Published: 08/05/2025
Pages: 128
Binding Type: Paperback
ISBN: 9781368104593
Audience: Ages 4-8

Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 05/01/2025 pg. 70

About the Author
RIDLEY PEARSON is the award-winning, bestselling author of more than fifty novels. His series include the Kingdom Keepers and (co-written with Dave Barry) Peter and the Starcatchers. He spends his free time sneaking around Disney parks and the Disney Cruise Line. A Fulbright Fellow and Edgar nominee, Ridley is currently a Professor of the Practice in creative writing at Boise State University.