Geronimo Stilton Reporter #10: Blackrat’s Treasure by Geronimo Stilton

I was actually pleasantly surprised by the clever plot twist of this volume, and definitely recommend this book for good all-ages fun.

Our title character is a workaholic reporter turned editor with way too many stories to write (and, boy, do I sympathize!) His relatives and co-workers, Benjamin, Thea and Trap, coax him out of the office in pursuit of exercise and fresh air and — more importantly to Geronimo — a story. A three-headed monster smelling of brie has been spotted down at the docks, and Geronimo wants to get to the bottom of what’s clearly a fantastic tale before he’s scooped by a rival paper.

But a bigger mystery soon presents itself while the team is down at New Mouse City’s foggy harbor. A strange, seemingly abandoned vessel is docked at one of the piers, a ship that Geronimo vaguely recognizes. He and his crew come aboard to check it out, only to be turned into a literal crew by Captain Blackrat, who casts off and press gangs them into working for him. Besides swabbing the decks and engaging in other naval exercises, Blackrat wants them to help him find a hidden treasure, no matter the peril. Will our team of heroes be able to survive the journey and discover the pirates’ loot, or will the wicked Blackrat (and his adorable companion Crabcakes) send one or more of them down to Davy Jones’ locker?

This was a fun story of pirate adventure — with Geronimo always quick to correct young Benjamin’s romantic notions of piracy with the reality of their villainous nature — with an unexpected twist that had even a seasoned mystery reader and critic like myself sitting up and taking notice. Credit goes to the Geronimo Stilton team, including Elisabetta Dami, Diane Morel and Dario Sicchio for the story, an adaptation from the cartoon series. The artistic team also does really well translating the clear lines and style of the cartoon to these pages, making for a visually pleasing experience.

Geronimo Stilton Reporter #10: Blackrat’s Treasure by Geronimo Stilton was published today March 22 2022 by Papercutz and is available from all good booksellers, including